US falls behind France, UK in citizens' trust in country military
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A Gallup poll shows that the United States now shares the lowest level of confidence among Americans in its judicial system among the G7 nations with Italy.
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US Paratroopers prepare to deploy to the US Central Command area of operations, which includes the Middle East and Afghanistan, from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in January 2019 (AFP)
Americans' trust in the United States military declined last year, losing its position as the most trusted military among the other Group of Seven (G7) countries, a recent Gallup poll showed.
Confidence in the US military dropped to 81% in 2023, down 5 points from 86% in 2022, as reported in the latest Gallup World Poll released on Wednesday.
Americans' trust in their nation’s military has consistently ranked highly among the G7 nations since 2006, according to Gallup. However, in a recent poll, France surpassed the US, with approximately 86% of the French people expressing trust in their military, pushing the United States from its longstanding top position.
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The United Kingdom followed closely behind, with trust in its military ranking the second highest among the nations at 83%. Japan trailed slightly behind the US with 80% percent trust in its military, followed closely by Italy at 79% and Canada at 78%.
The results follow a continuous decrease in Americans' trust in their military, as shown in other recent Gallup surveys.
In a survey conducted last July, it was found that Americans' trust in the military dropped to 60%, marking the lowest level since 1997. This level of confidence had not been observed since 1988 when it was recorded at 58%.
The poll firm pointed out that other institutions in the United States have also witnessed a decline in their numbers in recent months.
Read more: Decline in white recruits marks challenges for US army recruitment
According to Gallup, the United States now shares the lowest level of confidence in its judicial system among the G7 nations with Italy, both at 42%. In terms of trust in its national government, the US ranks lowest among the G7 nations, with only 30% expressing confidence.
Gen Z and e-girls
The 2023 decline is attributed, according to the survey institute, to the failure of the two most significant military legacies of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the US - the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over the past two decades, the percentage of young individuals who had never considered military service has doubled. Approximately 20 years ago, slightly over 25 percent of youths fell into this category.
This trend has also witnessed low numbers of recruits, leaving the army to resort to methods such as using "e-girls" to drive up recruits, especially Gen Z.
However, a Pew Research Center survey in February revealed that more than half of people under the age of 30 hold a negative opinion of the US military.
According to the Pew Research Center poll, 53% of individuals aged 18 to 29 believe that the military has a negative impact on how things are going in the country.
Read more: US military spent $1.6bn in ME since October, but lacks budget to pay
