Americans have spoken loudly and clearly: a staggering 87 percent say it is important for the United States to have the most powerful military in the world. That overwhelming figure comes straight from the 2025 Reagan National Defense Survey, the latest reminder that peace through strength is not some tired slogan but the public will. Roger Zakheim and the Reagan Institute are right to point out that the American people understand strength as the foundation of security in a dangerous world.
This support for American leadership crosses party lines in a way that should embarrass the weak-kneed foreign policy elites on the left. The survey found 64 percent want the U.S. to be more engaged and take the lead internationally, with 79 percent of MAGA Republicans and 57 percent of Democrats backing a muscular global posture. That kind of consensus—rooted in common-sense nationalism—gives conservatives the political cover to demand real capability, not virtue signaling.
Americans also showed rising backing for stepping up where it matters: support for sending weapons to Ukraine climbed, and 60 percent would back committing U.S. forces to defend Taiwan if China invades. These are not abstract polling numbers; they reflect voters who understand the stakes of a rising authoritarian China and a revanchist Russia. If our leaders refuse to match words with resources, they will prefer blame to courage on the day freedom is tested.
Practical defense measures polled well too—68 percent support building a homeland “Golden Dome” missile defense, and roughly two-thirds say the military should be sized to fight and win two wars at once. These are sober, grown-up answers from Americans who want deterrence and readiness, not woke experiments that hollow out combat power. Washington should stop arguing about semantics and start investing in the capabilities Americans say they want.
Yes, confidence in the military as an institution has wobble in some areas, but that does not mean the public wants a weaker America; it means they want a better one. Officials who complain about public skepticism should earn back trust by delivering equipment, training, and clarity of mission—not by appeasing cultural fashions or shrinking the force. Conservatives must insist that reforms prioritize lethality and honor the service of our troops rather than politicize them.
This poll is also a rebuke to the bipartisan class of DC elites who talk tough while starving the supply lines of American power. Americans favor export controls on advanced AI chips to China and stronger alliances like NATO, showing they understand industrial might and allied cohesion are as crucial as aircraft and ships. If Republicans are serious about defending the homeland and deterring wars, they will push for robust budgets, incentivize domestic defense production, and hold leaders accountable for strategic clarity.
The lesson is simple and patriotic: voters want strength, leadership, and a secure America. The Reagan Institute’s findings should energize conservatives to stop apologizing for American power and start building it back with pride and purpose. If we follow the will of the people—and Reagan’s timeless principle of peace through strength—we can ensure liberty endures for our children and grandchildren.
