Poll: USA Needs to Put Itself First

A strong majority of voters believe in an America-first foreign policy and feel the nation should put its own interests ahead of those of other countries, a new poll shows.

The Rasmussen Reports survey, released Monday, finds 60 percent of respondents agree with the statement: "No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests first. Both our friends and enemies put their countries above ours, and we, while being fair to them, must do the same."

The survey finds 17 percent disagree with the statement, and 23 percent are unsure.

According to the poll, 30 percent of voters believe U.S. foreign policy in recent years has put America first, but twice as many, 60 percent, say America has been more interested in the rights of those in other countries.

The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

GOP presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump's declaration of an "America first" foreign policy last month became a provocative issue in some circles — including among the Senate's leading Republican voices on national security.

In other findings, the poll finds:

• 50 percent of Democrats, 13 percent of Republicans, and 26 percent of independents think U.S. foreign policy in recent years has put America first; 82 percent of GOP voters and 62 percent of independents believe America's foreign policy has been more interested in the rights of those in other countries; only 37 percent of Democrats agree with that.
• 52 percent of Democrats agree with Trump's statement, along with 71 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of independents; 23 percent of Democrats disagree, compared with 12 percent of 12 percent of Republicans and 16 percent of independents.

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