A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows limited support among Americans for President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to patrol the streets of Washington DC, with most of the backing coming from his Republican base.
The three-day survey, which concluded on Sunday, found that only 38 per cent of Americans supported the use of troops for law enforcement in the US capital, while 46 per cent opposed the move. The remainder were either unsure or did not respond.
Support was highest among Republicans, with 76 per cent in favour. In contrast, just 8 per cent of Democrats supported the deployment. Among independents, 28 per cent approved while 51 per cent were opposed.
These divisions reflect the broader partisan split in Trump’s approval ratings. According to the poll, 40 per cent of respondents said they approved of the president’s job performance, a figure that has remained unchanged across three consecutive polls dating back to late July, and the lowest mark of his current term.
DROP REPORTED IN TRUMP’S RATINGS
Trump’s popularity has dropped since January, when 47 per cent of Americans approved of his performance. While Republicans continue to back him overwhelmingly, Democrats remain strongly opposed, and about two-thirds of independents disapprove of his leadership.
Since returning to office, Trump has moved aggressively to implement his second-term agenda, launching crackdowns on unauthorised immigration, engaging in multiple trade disputes with foreign countries, and directing the federal justice system toward investigating his political opponents.
Earlier this month, Trump ordered National Guard troops into Washington DC, where Democrats dominate local leadership. He has also threatened similar deployments in other major Democratic-run cities. The move included a federal takeover of local policing in the capital, following years of criticism from Trump that Democrats are lenient on crime.
According to the same poll, only 36 per cent of respondents supported placing Washington’s local police under federal control. This figure includes 71 per cent of Republicans and just 8 per cent of Democrats.
Hundreds of unarmed National Guard troops have been stationed in Washington for the past two weeks after Trump declared a crime emergency in the city. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last week authorised them to carry weapons.
Despite a significant decline in violent crime since a 2023 spike, according to both federal and local crime data, Washington remains one of the most violent cities in the country.
DEMOCRATS CRITICISE TROOP DEPLOYMENT
Democrats, including Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, have criticised the deployment as politically motivated rather than a response to crime. Troops have primarily been stationed in the city’s safest, tourist-heavy areas.
Trump’s approval rating on crime stands at 43 per cent, one of the strongest areas of support for him, equalling the public approval of his immigration policies.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,022 US adults nationwide. The margin of error was 3 percentage points for the full sample, 6 points for Republicans and Democrats, and 5 points for independents.
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With inputs from Reuters