TOPLINE
Some 58% of registered voters polled by Morning Consult support the deployment of the military to aid police responding to protests, with 33% of the 1,624 respondents saying they’d “strongly support” it and only 30% opposing.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 02: A DC National Guardsman hangs his arm out the window of a troop carrier as ... [+]
KEY FACTS
The proposition was more popular among older voters, whites and conservatives, with 75% of self-identified conservatives, 68% of voters over the age of 65 and 60% of white voters saying they’d either strongly support or somewhat support sending in the military.
But the poll showed a large chunk of voters usually associated with the Democratic Party also are open to deploying troops, with 43% of voters under 34, 40% of self-identified “liberals” and 37% of African-Americans saying they’d support sending in the military to help police.
The poll was conducted Sunday-Monday, as protests were marred by violence in many cities across the U.S.
President Donald Trump said in an address Monday evening that he would send in the U.S. military to cities that weren’t able to control violence and looting on their own, threatening to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act.
However, that didn’t translate to overall support for Trump in the poll, which showed 45% saying they are more likely to vote for Biden and 31% for Trump based on George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests.
KEY BACKGROUND
Since George Floyd’s death while being detained by Minneapolis Police on May 25, protests have occurred in at least 75 U.S. cities, giving voice to years of grievances over police brutality toward minorities.While many protests have been peaceful, some cities have been hit by looting and clashes with police.Trump has urged local authorities to respond aggressively to rioters, promising Monday in a Rose Garden press conference to send in the military if he feels it’s needed.
FURTHER READING
Less Than A Third Of Americans Approve Of Trump's Handling Of Protests (Forbes)
Trump Says He May Invoke The Obscure Insurrection Act To Quell Protests—Here’s What That Means (Forbes)
