Syria strikes, travel ban, refugees, and Muslims:
American attitudes on
Trump’s early policies
A survey of the
Shibley Telhami, Director
Stella Rouse, Associate Director
Valuable assistance was provided by Neil Schwartz, Scott Willoth, and Jordan Evangelista from Nielsen Scarborough.
Brittany Kyser, Rachel Slattery, and Anne Peckham were particularly helpful.
*The University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll probes domestic and international issues that are central to our policy discourse and is led by Professors Shibley Telhami and Stella Rouse.
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted April 12-17, 2017 with a panel consisting of a probability-based representative sample. The panel was recruited by Nielsen Scarborough from its larger probability-based national panel,
which was recruited by mail and telephone using a random sample of households provided by Survey Sampling International. A national
sample of 2,138 panelists completed the survey. Responses were
weighted by age, gender, income, education, race, and geographic region
using benchmarks from the U.S. Census. The survey was also weighted
American Attitudes
toward Syria
On April 6, 2017, President Trump ordered a missile strike against a Syrian air force base after reports
that the regime of Bashar Assad used chemical weapons and
wounded dozens of Syrians.
How do you feel about these
81
9
10
31
43
26
34
34
30
52
27
20 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
April 2017
36
39
25
54
26
19
64
19
16 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
18-34 35-54 55+
61
23
15
44
31
24 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
Men Women
April 2017
19
49
31
57
24
18 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
Black/African American Not Black/African American
37
44
19
55
24
20 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
Spanish/Hispanic Origin Not Spanish/Hispanic Origin
April 2017
77
11
11
38
38
25 Support
Oppose
Don't know
How do you feel about these strikes?
Lean toward Israel Lean toward Palestinians/Neither Side
Thinking about how
President Trump made his decision to launch a military attack on Syria, how has this
affected your confidence in the president’s decision-
making?
56
8
36 7
44
48 17
31
49 29
27 More confidence than before
Less confidence than before
About the same level of confidence
Thinking about how President Trump made his decision to launch a military attack on Syria, how has this affected your confidence in the
president’s decision-making?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
Given what you may have read or heard about the use
of chemical weapons in
Syria this month, which of the following is closest to
your view?
75
6
3
16
66
6
5
23
39
10
5
44
66
6
4 Assad probably used chemical
weapons
A party other than Assad probably used chemical weapons
I am not convinced chemical weapons were used
I am uncertain
Given what you may have read or heard about the use of chemical weapons in Syria this month, which of the following is closest to your view?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
How do you think the strike on Syria will affect the
prospects of ending the
violence in Syria?
33
15
50 10
35
53 14
36
46 20
27
51 It will make it more likely
It will make it less likely
It will have no impact
How do you think the strike on Syria will affect the prospects of ending the violence in Syria?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
How do you believe the strikes on the Syrian air base will affect the level of
American military
involvement in Syria?
55
9
33
72
8
19
54
15
27
63
9 It will make it more likely that
American military involvement will grow
It makes it less likely that American military involvement
will grow
It will have no impact
How do you believe the strikes on the Syrian air base will affect the level of American military involvement in Syria?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
In your opinion, how will the strikes on
Syria affect Assad’s
likely behavior?
30
36
32
54
12
42
17
42
23 It will make him more aggressive
in attacking the Syrian opposition
It will likely make him less aggressive in attacking the
Syrian opposition
In your opinion, how will the strikes on Syria affect Assad’s likely behavior?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
American
Attitudes toward
Refugees
In general, do you support or oppose the United States
taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other
Middle Eastern countries after
screening them for security
36
63
83
15
51
47
59
39 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
April 2017
64
35
52
45
62
37 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
18-34 35-54 55+
55
44
63
35 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
Men Women
April 2017
63
32
59 Support strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
Black/African American Not Black/African American
63
35
59
40 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
Spanish/Hispanic Origin Not Spanish/Hispanic Origin
April 2017
59
41
59 Support strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
May 2016 April 2017
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
May 2016 April 2017 38
63
77 23
55 42
36
63
83 15
51 47 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat Support strongly/somewhat Oppose strongly/somewhat Support strongly/somewhat Oppose strongly/somewhat
REPDEMIND
40
59
72
28 Support strongly/somewhat
Oppose strongly/somewhat
In general, do you support or oppose the United States taking in refugees from the conflicts in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries after screening them for security risks?
Lean toward Israel Lean toward Palestinians/Neither Side
American Views of Arguments for
and against the
travel ban
This past March, the White House issued an executive order to limit travel to the United States from six Muslim-majority nations. The order
also aimed to suspend the Refugee Admission Program (USRAP) for 120
days and impose a cap of 50,000
refugees in 2017. This order has been
blocked by federal judges including in
ARGUMENT FOR THE BAN
Now tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following.
The executive order is necessary to ensure the safety of all Americans. The government has a responsibility to ensure that
nobody entering our country is coming here to do us harm. It is only reasonable to limit immigration from those six
countries until we know that the people coming do not pose a threat. While it may be true that many who do not pose a threat will be kept out in the process, our top priority must be
reducing the threat to American citizens by keeping potential
terrorists out.
84
5
11
21
11
68 48
14
37
50
9
40 Agree strongly/somewhat
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree strongly/somewhat
The executive order is necessary to ensure the safety of all Americans.
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
ARGUMENT AGAINST THE BAN
Now tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following.
The United States is a nation of immigrants, one with a long history of taking in those fleeing persecution in their home
countries. Refugees have also contributed considerably to America. Data shows that only a handful of refugees have been charged with terrorist plotting among hundreds of thousands who
arrived to the United States in the past decade and a half. The Constitution prohibits restricting immigration based on religion,
which some courts have found this order to do.
21
18
59
79
12
9
44
27
26
50
17
32 Agree strongly/somewhat
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree strongly/somewhat
The United States is a nation of immigrants, one with a long history of taking in those fleeing persecution in their home countries.
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
Having thought about
it, do you support or
oppose the travel ban?
88
11 13
86 47
52 49
50 Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
37
63 55
44
53
46
Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
18-34 35-54 55+
April 2017
54
46 44
54 Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
Men Women
21
79 53
46 Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
Black/African American Not Black/African American
April 2017
36
62 51
48 Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
Spanish/Hispanic Origin Not Spanish/Hispanic Origin
80
20
30
69 Support
Oppose
Having thought about it, do you support or oppose the travel ban?
Lean toward Israel Lean toward Palestinians/Neither Side
April 2017
In your opinion, is this ban principally
intended to keep
Muslims out of the
23
77
86
13
56
41
56
43 Yes
No
In your opinion, is this ban principally intended to keep Muslims out of the U.S.?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
April 2017
When deciding which
immigrants should be allowed to enter the United States,
should we give priority to
people who are Christians or should we treat all immigrants
the same regardless of
22
70
8 3
93
4
12
72
16 12
81
7 Christian immigrants should be
given priority
All immigrants, regardless of religion should be treated the
same
Don’t know
When deciding which immigrants should be allowed to enter the United States, should we give priority to people who are Christians or
should we treat all immigrants the same regardless of religion?
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
April 2017
American Views of Muslims and
Islam
What is your attitude about each of the
following?
The Muslim People
53
46
58
41
62
38
70
71 Very/Somewhat
Favorable
Very/Somewhat
What is your attitude about each of the following?
The Muslim People
Nov. 2015 May 2016 (Pre-Orlando) June 2016 (Post-Orlando) April 2017
Oct. 2016
57
41
84
15
71
27
71
27 Very/Somewhat Favorable
Very/Somewhat Unfavorable
What is your attitude about each of the following?
The Muslim People
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
April 2017
What is your attitude about each of the
following?
37
61 42
57 44
55 49
49
46
51 Very/Somewhat Favorable
Very/Somewhat Unfavorable
What is your attitude about each of the following?
The Muslim Religion
Nov. 2015 May 2016 (Pre-Orlando) June 2016 (Post-Orlando) April 2017
Oct. 2016
25
73 66
32
48
50 46
51 Very/Somewhat Favorable
Very/Somewhat Unfavorable
What is your attitude about each of the following?
The Muslim Religion
Republicans Democrats Independents Total
