Americans in new poll split on foreign aid package

Just more than 40 percent of Americans approve of the sizable foreign aid package signed into law Wednesday, according to a new poll, underlining a divide in opinion on the $95 billion expenditure.

The Monmouth University survey found that 43 percent of Americans support the bill, while 35 percent oppose it, with a sizable partisan divide over whether the U.S. should support allies in conflicts abroad.

The package allocates $61 billion for Ukraine aid, most of which will be spent to replenish U.S. military stockpiles, as well as $24 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid in Gaza. A portion of the package — about $8 billion — will be used to support Taiwan and other allies in the Indo-Pacific against China.

A majority of Democrats, 65 percent, support the package, while only 36 percent of independents and 30 percent of Republicans back it.

“It’s a good day for America, it’s a good day for Europe, and it’s a good day for world peace,” President Biden said when announcing he signed the legislation. “It’s going to make America safer, it’s going to make the world safer, and it continues America’s leadership in the world and everyone knows it.”

The bill signing comes after months of negotiations and bitter fights, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) finally allowing a vote to go forward last week despite facing calls for his ouster over the measure from conservatives.

Still under threat from at least three GOP members who have committed to supporting a motion to vacate, passing the foreign aid bill hasn’t changed many Americans’ opinions on the Speaker, the poll found.

“The foreign aid package may be a big policy win, but politically it’s a wash for Speaker Johnson,” Monmouth polling director Patrick Murray said in a statement.

About 21 percent of voters approve of Johnson’s job performance, a slight increase from 17 percent in December. A similar 20 percent of Republicans margin wants him kicked from the Speakership, the poll found.

The Monmouth University poll surveyed about 800 people this past weekend, with a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.