Most Americans still want U.S. to take "leading or major world role," poll finds

WASHINGTON - Amidst recent turmoil in the Middle East and Ukraine, most Americans still support the idea that the U.S. should play a "leading or major world role," a recent poll found.

Gallup says 66% of Americans want the country to help solve international problems, versus 25% saying the U.S. should only take a minor role.

By the numbers:

Respondents were asked if the U.S. should: Take a leading role in world affairs, take a major role but not the leading role, take a minor role, or take no role. The results were:

• 47%: Leading role
• 28%: Minor role
• 19%: Major role
• 3%: No role

Dig deeper:

Gallup says Republicans (71%) and Democrats (75%) are about equally likely to say the U.S. should take a leading or major role in solving international problems, with more Republicans (22%) than Democrats (18%) favoring a leading role.

Political independents (58%) are less inclined than Republicans and Democrats to want to see the U.S. take a leading or major role.

The backstory:

Gallup has conducted this poll for years. The percentage calling for "leading or major role" has remained similar for decades, though there was a slight bump in the years after the September 11 attacks, then a slight drop over the last few years.

File: Ensign Christopher Loper offloads food from a helicopter to provide disaster relief support to citizens after four storms in one month have devastated the area and killed more than 800 people September 8, 2008 in Port De Paix, Haiti. (Photo by

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Big picture view:

For over a century, the United States has been a major force on the world stage, through both world wars, the Cold War and its proxy wars, the Gulf War and later invasion of Iraq, and ongoing efforts to combat terrorism.

Until recently, the U.S. has played a significant role leading the effort to help Ukraine defend itself against invasion by Russia. Previous polls have shown widespread support for that effort. Gallup, though, noted that this poll was taken before the Oval Office blowup between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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