As recently reported by Liberty Nation, the Associated Press is no friend of President Trump. And after the polling debacle of 2016, anyone with a cerebral cortex knows that polls are often rigged. This is perhaps why a new survey released by the newswire is so – well – astonishing.
Data collected by the AP on 115,000 midterm voters show that 56% of veterans approve of Trump’s performance in office. This contrasts with voters who have never served in the military, who registered a 58% disapproval rating for the president.
The Right Temperament
Vets by 48% say Trump has the right temperament for the Oval Office. Also, 59% of veterans say Mr. Trump exhibits “strong leadership” skills, and 46% feel the president cares about “people like you.” [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”24″]… the best president on issues that affect those serving in the armed forces.[/perfectpullquote]
On the incendiary issue of immigration and border security, veterans again approve of the president’s performance. The AP survey shows that veterans also believe that the U.S. is better off now regarding terrorism than when Trump first took office.
There does seem to be a gender divide in the poll, with 58% of male veterans approving of the president while the same number of female vets disapprove. This number reflects the non-veteran female vote, which disapproves of the president by 61%.
Inside the House
In general, veterans are a politically motivated lot. Ninety-six veterans will serve in the 116th Congress; of that number 66 are members of the GOP and 30 serve their constituencies as Democrats. Historically, veteran populations have a higher percentage of voting than the general population. For instance, in the 2008 presidential election, 15.8 million veterans cast their ballot, which represented 71% of the vet population.
Seven percent of the U.S. population has served in the military at one time or another. In 2016 veterans voted 2 to 1 for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, and that’s according to a CNN exit poll. Those higher numbers may have propelled Mr. Trump to victory in the battleground states of Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina.
During the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump addressed veteran affairs early and often. He asserted he would be the best president on issues that affect those serving in the armed forces. At a campaign event in Charlotte, NC, then-candidate Trump said, “Our debt to you is eternal. Yet our politicians have totally failed you.”
In terms of keeping his promises to those who have served in uniform, the president has signed an executive order supporting veterans’ transition to civilian life and has signed the VA Mission Act, which expands veteran access to private health care. And in 2018 the number of homeless veterans decreased by 5.4%.
This AP poll confirms that the president continues to enjoy the favor of those who have served in the U.S. armed forces.
