Dear Colleague,
I am pleased to share with you analyses of the latest round of our University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. The poll explored early US public outlook on the Trump administration, attitudes toward some foreign policy issues, and more.
Among the findings is that 54% of Americans express worries about the prospects of the Trump administration, compared with 37% who say they are hopeful. In addition, the poll explored the top specific issues Americans are concerned about, as well as those they are most hopeful about.
The poll also found that 22% of Americans say they feel the need to be extra careful when discussing the Ukraine-Russia conflict publicly, with a majority of those being careful about criticizing US policy on the issue. At the same time, 31% say they feel the need to be extra careful when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict publicly, with a plurality of these being careful about criticizing Israel.
Two thirds of Americans say President Joe Biden's handling of the Gaza war has damaged his legacy. And more Americans say that the prospects of a US war with Iran have increased under Trump than those saying they have decreased. You can find more detailed findings, as well as analyses, here.
I would also like to share a panel conversation on the Trump Administration's policy toward the Middle East in which I participated, hosted by the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University, which you can find here.
Sincerely,
Shibley Telhami