Latest Global Affairs survey shows instability of America as a partner

The notion that politics in the United States stopped at the water’s edge was never really true, but the Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union and with international communism writ large did provide a kind of structure or spine to America’s foreign policy.

There was broad consensus on nuclear arms control, a strong defense including alliances and providing support to keep countries from falling into the grip of communist regimes, for good and ill.

For the past half century, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs has been comprehensively tracking American attitudes concerning the United States’ place in the world and with the release of its latest survey a few weeks ago one finds that there is still broad consensus on certain fundamentals.

However, no one should be surprised that there is a growing partisan split concerning the threats America faces and America’s foreign policy priorities.

Strong majorities (more than 60%) of Americans across the political spectrum still believe the United States should take an active role in the world, that alliances strengthen America and that international trade is a good thing. However, since 2015 and the introduction of the “America First” agenda, there has been a growing divergence between Republicans on one side and Democrats and independents on the other.

Respondents were given a list of issues/threats and asked to rank order the most serious challenges that America faces. Democrats and independents largely agreed on the top five. These included the weakening of U.S. democracy, U.S. government corruption, climate change and the potential for an economic downturn, possibly caused by a trade war.

Republicans, on the other hand, had a far different list with immigration at the top and China and Iran’s nuclear program in three of the top four places. They agreed with Democrats on two — terrorism and U.S. government corruption — though not the level of importance.

There were also some interesting quirks. There was a 47-point gap between Republicans and Democrats on support for Ukraine, with Democrats urging more support, echoing Biden administration policies. However, when President Trump said that Russia’s President Putin was “tapping him along,” Republican support for more aid jumped 20 points.

Such volatility in attitudes just because of an offhand comment suggests that we are in the midst of a very unsettled period and that some of the public’s attitudes are dictated more by partisan politics as opposed to fundamental beliefs.

A wide gap has also opened between Republicans and Democrats on the question of American exceptionalism, with overall attitudes shifting significantly over the past dozen years. In 2012, 70% of Americans agreed with the statement that the United States’ unique character made it the greatest nation in the world.

In 2025, that had fallen to 53% with just under half saying America is no greater than any other nation. Here again, there is a 40-point gap between Republicans and Democrats, with more Republicans saying they believe in American exceptionalism.

When such core ideas are in dispute, the rudder of the American ship of state can swing wildly. Under Democrats, America is in the Paris climate accord, the World Health Organization, strongly supports Ukraine and is more welcoming to immigration. Under this current version of America First, Republican priorities are very different.

It makes the United States a very unstable partner on the world stage.

The divide between Republican and Democrat attitudes on immigration, Ukraine, Israel, tariffs, China and other issues has, according to the survey, only grown wider and more volatile. This lack of consensus can mean more drift and a less purposeful America. The worried expressions on the faces of our allies are there for a reason.

• Keith Peterson, of Lake Barrington, served 29 years as a press and cultural officer for the United States Information Agency and Department of State. He was chief editorial writer of the Daily Herald 1984-86. His book “American Dreams: The Story of the Cyprus Fulbright Commission” is available from Amazon.com.