Most Americans say it'd be better if the United States dealt with its own problems and let other countries handle theirs, and are increasingly wary – and divided – about the global threats the nation faces, a new report finds.
The Pew Research Center report released Thursday,
"America's Place in the World," finds "the public views America’s role in the world with considerable apprehension and concern."
According to the report:
- 57 percent of Americans want the United States to deal with its own problems, while letting other countries get along as best they can; just 37 percent say America should help other countries deal with their problems.
- 49 percent say U.S. involvement in the global economy is a bad thing because it lowers wages and costs jobs, while 44 percent see involvement as a good thing because it provides new markets and opportunities for growth.
- 46 percent say the United States is a less powerful and important world leader than it was 10 years ago – a tally that is among the highest numbers expressing this view in the past four decades.
- 80 percent say ISIS is a major threat to America, while 72 percent choose cyberattacks as a major threat and 67 percent say the same about global economic instability.
- 35 percent favor an increase in defense spending, while 24 percent want it decreased; 40 percent say it should stay the same.
The entire survey's margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
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