"Not only are most Americans skeptical of prolonged U.S. military intervention overseas after two decades in Iraq and Afghanistan, but so is Trump's base. When looking at voters' top concerns, foreign policy often ranks near the bottom. But military action that goes badly has in addition to the human cost often imperiled presidents and had irreversibly negative effects on them politically."
"Truman, according to Gallup's survey research archive, was the worst polling president of the last century. His approval rating sat at just 22% in February 1952. The country was facing economic headwinds while also mired in the Korean war. The U.S. fought with South Korea against the North Korean invasion for three years, and more than 36,000 servicemembers died."
"Few presidents' swagger matched that of the tall Texan. But the Vietnam war chopped that down. Biographer Robert Caro described the Vietnam war as a 'trap' that led to not just LBJ's political decline, but also his health. When he assumed office after John F. Kennedy's assassination, LBJ had a 78% approval rating, per Gallup. That dropped to 35% in August 1968."
Prolonged military conflicts pose significant political risks for presidents, particularly when lacking clear victory or public support. Historical examples demonstrate this pattern: President Truman's approval rating fell to 22% during the Korean War, while President Johnson's dropped from 78% to 35% during Vietnam. Americans remain skeptical of extended overseas military intervention following decades in Iraq and Afghanistan. Foreign policy ranks low among voter concerns, and military failures have irreversibly damaged presidential political standing across administrations. The longer conflicts persist without resolution, the greater the political cost, regardless of initial public sentiment or military declarations of success.
Read at www.npr.org
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