How young Americans view the wars in the world right now

Below are five charts on opinion about Ukraine and Israel, the generational differences that divide Americans, and the role the economy plays in shaping views toward U.S. involvement

The author(s)
  • Clifford Young President, US, Public Affairs
  • Sarah Feldman Editorial Director, US, Public Affairs
  • Bernard Mendez Data Journalist, US, Public Affairs
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For most Gen Z Americans, the U.S. has been involved in some overseas conflict for almost their whole lives. It’s barely been two years since the U.S. pulled out of its forever war in Afghanistan that made up nearly the entire life of most young Americans today.

As war surges both in the Middle East and Europe, these formative experiences are shaping attitudes to Israel and Ukraine’s war among this generation. Younger Americans and older Americans look significantly different when it comes to U.S. military engagement abroad and the role the U.S. should play in the world. Yet, there are some hesitations from all Americans on U.S. engagement teeing up the fight in Congress over aid packages to both allies. The past is prologue.

Below are five charts on opinion about Ukraine and Israel, the generational differences that divide Americans, and the role the economy plays in shaping views toward U.S. involvement.

  1. Uncertainty among the young. Younger Americans are much more likely than their older counterparts to say that they do not know what to think about Israel or Ukraine, while boomers and Gen Xers are more likely to hold favorable views of both countries. Mixed bag.Younger Americans less favorable to Israel and Ukraine, driven by more saying they don’t know what to think
  2. Generational differences emerge. At one point in time, the question of whether the U.S. should support democratic countries when they were attacked wasn’t up for debate. Now, it is. Younger Americans are much more likely than older Americans to not want to jump into international conflicts, even if another democratic country is attacked. Look at the data. It’s consistent across partisanship.Younger Americans less likely to think the U.S. should support democratic countries when attacked
  3. Whose business? Here, too, younger Americans are much more likely to agree that the problems of Ukraine and Israel are none of our business and that the U.S. should not interfere. Two Americas; one young, one old.Younger Americans less likely to support U.S. intervention in Israel, Ukraine
  4. Domestic vs. foreign issues. Concern with the economy is enduring for many Americans. Across age, few Americans think the U.S. should be sending weapons and financial aid in these foreign conflicts given the state of the economy. How will this shape Congressional fights? We will see.Across age, Americans want to focus on domestic issues, like the economy
  5. Send aid? Americans are concerned with issues at home. How does that influence support for sending aid and weapons abroad? The public is mixed on whether to send financial aid and weapons to Ukraine and Israel, with little difference by age. These are the politics that are framing the shutdown fight that’s been kicked into 2024.Americans—regardless of age—are mixed on sending financial aid and weapons to Ukraine and Israel

Young people look different than older Americans on war and U.S. engagement abroad, in some cases matching the partisan differences that are so often the dividing line in U.S. politics. The recent past and looming ghost of America’s forever war shapes these generational differences.

Americans overall want to focus on issues at home and are wary of entrenchment in conflicts abroad. This all sets a messy political stage for the infighting in Congress over sending aid packages to Ukraine and Israel. Those fights and the government shutdown have been kicked into 2024. Watch how this takes shape.

The author(s)
  • Clifford Young President, US, Public Affairs
  • Sarah Feldman Editorial Director, US, Public Affairs
  • Bernard Mendez Data Journalist, US, Public Affairs

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