More than 49 percent of the 1,018 active-duty troops who responded to the Military Times survey in July and August view the president’s oversight of the armed forces as “unfavorable” or “very unfavorable,” with more than 42 percent expressing latter, more severe opinion. Roughly 38 percent believe Trump does his job well. The numbers represent a sizable shift from the Military Times’ 2018 poll, which showed 59 percent were happy with Trump’s performance and only 20 percent held an unfavorable view.
The poll released Monday amounts to a devastating blow to a cornerstone of Trump’s political base at a time the president has particularly touted his support for the military. Trump in recent weeks has made news by saying that he will dramatically reduce the number of American forces in Iraq as well as Afghanistan – a signature campaign pledge to withdraw the U.S. from costly and bloody wars. Earlier this month, he preemptively spiked a plan Pentagon leaders were reportedly considering that would have slashed billions from military health care.
Lots more where that came from.
