President Trump’s public opinion rating has dropped among active-duty service members in a recent poll, with many worried about issues ranging from his desire to use active-duty military to quell social unrest to pulling U.S. troops out of Germany.
A Military Times/Syracuse University poll of 1,018 active-duty troops, released Aug. 31 and conducted prior to the August conventions, reveals that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden edges out Trump among members of the military, 41.3% to 37.4%.
Nearly half of the respondents said they view Trump unfavorably, with 49.9% compared to 38% favorable.
At the start of Trump’s presidency, only 37% of service members viewed Trump unfavorably, while 46% viewed him favorably. The numbers are still far above military support for former President Barack Obama, who held a 36% favorable and 52% unfavorable rating with troops, according to Military Times polling in conjunction with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families.
Poll responses also indicated service members differed with the president on national security policy decisions, including reducing troop levels in Germany and using the active-duty members to quell domestic unrest.
With states beginning to mail absentee ballots and mail-in voting concerns on the rise, the tallies in this latest poll could translate to an early vote.
“Much of our messaging focuses on timing, encouraging military and overseas citizens to start their voting process early,” Meghan Kelly of the Pentagon’s Federal Voting Assistance Program told the Washington Examiner in June.
The Federal Voting Assistance Program reported that service member interest in voting this summer had already reached 2016 levels, when 46% voted among 68% registered service members.
The office said September and October are typical peak times for mail-in ballots from service members.
