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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 23 November 2023

Nearly half of Americans think the U.S. is spending

too much on Ukraine aid

Continued from Front and Republicans (51%) are
similarly concerned about
Now, 45% say the U.S. gov- Russian power – but Demo-
ernment is spending too crats are more likely than
much on aid to Ukraine Republicans to see Ukraine
in the war against Russia, as a nation of shared val-
compared with 52% in Oc- ues to the U.S. and to sup-
tober. That shift appears to port more aid for Ukraine.
come mostly from Repub- About half of the public
licans: 59% now say too (48%) endorses provid-
much is spent on Ukraine ing weapons to Ukraine
aid, but that’s down from (57% among Democrats,
69% in October. 42% among Republicans).
Nonetheless, the Republi- About 4 in 10 favor sending
can resistance to contin- government funds directly
ued Ukraine aid remains to Ukraine (54% for Demo-
strong. crats, 24% for Republicans).
“I understand the citizens Americans have grown
need help, but I feel like slightly more likely to say
we’re spending way too the U.S. should take “a less
much money on Ukraine active role” in solving the
when we have our issues world’s problems, com-
here, on our own soil, that pared with a September
we need to deal with,” poll from AP-NORC and
said Eric Mondello, 40, Pearson. Slightly fewer than
from Fountain, Colorado. half (45%) now say the U.S.
Pointing to needs such as should be less involved, up
health care for veterans from 33% in September. Just
and homelessness in com- Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. 16% of Democrats now say
CQ Brown, participates in a virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting, Wednesday,
munities, Mondello added: Nov. 22, 2023, at the Pentagon in Washington. the U.S. should take a more
“I understand the U.S. has Associated Press active role, down from 29%
been an ally to others, but in September.
I feel like, let’s take care of makers to pass Biden’s told the White House press South Dakota Sen. John Peter Einsig, a Republican
our people first.” nearly $106 billion emer- briefing Monday. “They Thune, the No. 2 Repub- from Tulsa, Oklahoma, said
More than one-third (38%) gency spending package just keep on going, and lican in the Senate, said he still believes the U.S. has
of U.S. adults say that cur- that he proposed in Octo- the cost and the threats to lawmakers will continue to a role to play abroad, but
rent spending is “about ber, which includes more America and to the world work on the Ukraine-border that he remains concerned
the right amount,” which is than $61 billion specifically will keep rising.” package over the Thanks- about excessive govern-
up slightly from last month for the war in Ukraine. The But Congress has rebuffed giving break and won’t ment spending and fed-
(31%). Among Republi- rest of Biden’s request has the White House efforts at wait until mid-January — eral debt. Yet Einsig said
cans, nearly 3 in 10 (29%) aid for Israel as it battles bolstering Ukraine support when Congress faces an- he would be more inclined
say the current spending Hamas, money for various at least twice in recent other government fund- to support aid to Ukraine if
is about right, up from 20% priorities in the Indo-Pacific months. First, it ignored a ing deadline — to act on there were more oversight
last month. region and additional re- roughly $40 billion supple- Ukraine. into how the money was
Paula Graves, 69, is among sources to help manage mental request before a The big question mark is in being used abroad, as well
those who says the amount migration at the southern Sept. 30 funding deadline. the House, where still-new as a timeline of how much
of spending for Ukraine is border. Then last week, it passed a Speaker Mike Johnson — longer the U.S. would be
the right amount. On Ukraine, the Biden ad- stopgap funding measure who had voted against providing support.
“Putin, he’s straight up evil. ministration is increasingly that keeps the government Ukraine aid as a rank-and- “We don’t have transpar-
I don’t think there should warning that the well of operating through early file conservative — has spo- ency on where the money
be any question in any- aid is running dry. In an next year, but with no ad- ken broadly of the need to is really, really going,” said
one’s mind,” said Graves, unannounced visit to Kyiv ditional Ukraine aid. counter Russian aggression Einsig, 40. “It’s a big lump
of Clovis, California. “He’s a on Monday, Defense Sec- In the Senate, a small bi- yet faces unruly GOP law- sum.”
dictator. He’s infringed on retary Lloyd Austin said partisan group is working makers who have shown Four in 10 U.S. adults say
human rights, he’s a very Ukraine’s effort to defeat on legislation that would more hostility to continued Ukraine is an ally that shares
scary person and if Ukraine Russian forces “matters to combine fresh Ukraine as- support for Kyiv. U.S. interests and values.
falls to him, who’s next? the rest of the world” and sistance with stricter bor- Johnson, too, is insisting that That view is most common
What country’s next?” pledged that U.S. support der measures to address additional Ukraine aid be among Democrats (53%),
Graves, who says she is not would continue “for the concerns from Republicans paired with tougher border who are much more likely
affiliated with a political long haul.” that the U.S. was focused measures, although it is far than independents (28%),
party but leans more con- That message was rein- on needs abroad at the from certain that any im- Republicans (29%) and
servative, said she believes forced at the White House. expense of issues closer to migration agreement that Americans overall to see
the U.S. has a leadership “As President Biden has home. A broad majority of clears the Democratic- Ukraine as a nation with
role on the global stage said, when aggressors senators remains support- led Senate could pass the similar values and needs.
and added: “I think we def- don’t pay a price for their ive of Ukraine aid, with Sen- GOP-controlled House. About half of Republicans
initely need to put America aggression, they’ll cause ate Minority Leader Mitch Half of U.S. adults are ex- say Ukraine is a partner
first, but I don’t think that more chaos and death McConnell, R-Ky., being tremely or very concerned that the U.S. should coop-
needs to be first and only.” and destruction,” John one of the most stalwart that Russia’s influence pos- erate with, but say it is not
The White House has been Kirby, spokesman for the supporters despite the iso- es a direct threat to the Unit- a nation that shares U.S.
repeatedly pressing law- National Security Council, lationist strain in his party. ed States. Democrats (53%) values.q