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Public Opinion of President Trump's nuclear policy

Original article editing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_the_Donald_Trump_administration#Nuclear_policy

Public Opinion

Public opinion on the nuclear policy of the Trump administration has remained fairly consistent throughout the tenure of his administration. Trump's communication, messaging, and policy demonstrates the shift away from the diplomacy and disarmament of the Obama Administration, and a shift towards defensive and offensive nuclear strategy. During the campaign, voters questioned Trump's ability to make informed and rational decisions when it came to nuclear energy policy. This apprehension largely came from the inconsistent messaging of the Trump campaign when it came to nuclear energy policy. Additionally, candidate Donald Trump lacked critical knowledge about American nuclear infrastructure. When asked about the prioritization of the nuclear triad candidate Trump failed to demonstrate an understanding about the triad, and the roll it plays in the American nuclear strategy. Speaking in front of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conferencein March of 2015, candidate Trump affirmed that the number 1 priority of the administration would be to renegotiate the "dangerous deal" with Iran. . In the Fall of 2017, the Trump administration announced the decertification of the Iran Nuclear Deal, citing that the sanctions benefits Iran is receiving was disproportional to the national security interests of the United States. Public opinion polling conducted shortly after Trump's announcement of decertification revealed that 67% of Americans believe that the United States should not withdraw from the deal. . Public support for the Iran Nuclear Deal has remained strong throughout the last 4 years, despite vilification from the current administration.

In February, the Pentagon released the Trump Nuclear Posture Review, an updated analysis of the role nuclear weapons has in the American security strategy. While the Administration contends that the NPR differed little from Obama era policies, there were a few start differences between Trump's Nuclear Posture Review and those of previous administration's. The biggest difference between the NPR of Trump and Obama is the call for "low yield weapons", which demonstrates the potential for utilizing nuclear weapons as an offensive measure. Many scholars contend that Nuclear Posture Reviews have little impact on substantive policy, and are rather a gesture to the world of the administration's priorities regarding nuclear technology. In the International Journal, scholar Paul Meyer argues that NPR's are more posturing that actual policy, pointing to paradigm between Obama's belief for the sole use of nuclear weapons for deterrence and his apathy towards reversing the Bush era expansion of the American nuclear arsenal. While the Nuclear Posture Review is a significant piece of American policy, it also demonstrates to the international community of the United State's role in international diplomacy and nuclear politics. Trump's NPR is a deviation from the widespread international priorities focused on preventing irrational actors from gaining access to a nuclear weapon, and to halt major powers from developing more nuclear technology. Historical precedent for a nuclear arms race is a legitimate concern from policymakers, security analysts, and diplomats domestically and abroad.

Public opinion polling from 2010 demonstrates popular support for American disarmament. When asked about strategic nuclear arms reduction treaties,70% of Americans believe that the United States should adopt such policies. The call for the development of "low yield weapons" is a policy pivot away from the diplomatic disarmament movement that garners popular support. In his first speech in front of the UN, President Trump threatened to "totally destroy North Korea". In a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, 67% of respondents believed that the stated threat is not in the interest of the United States. While National Security Advisor John Bolton has presented a legal case for a first strike against North Korea, 67% of Americans believe that the United States should only utilize nuclear weapons in response to an attack. Additionally, 62% of Americans oppose a preemptive attack on North Korea.