by Melanie T. Collette
Critics of President Donald Trump have claimed he has no respect for the military and their families — but what do the men and women actually serving in the front lines think?
They’re big fans, according to the latest scientific Military Times Poll which suggests that the President enjoys a far stronger support from military personnel than the American public at large.
The September online poll gathered knowledge from roughly 1,100 active-duty service members.
According to the poll, the military’s overall favorability rating of President Trump is a popular 44%. The general public is a tad lower, coming in slightly under 40%.
While the poll suggests that the President is very popular among enlisted troops, officers do not favor him quite as much.
President Trump’s strong support from enlisted troops lands him at a 48% favorability rating, but only about 30% of officers feel the same.
When all troops were asked their opinion of the handling of Trump’s military policies, around 55% were all in favor.
Among the several military branches, President Trump’s favorability is highest among Marines at 59%. The President is also favored by 46% of the Army troops and 38% of the members of the Air Force.
Troops views on Trump has not changed much since he was elected last year, but with new policies designed to appeal to the military, percentages are likely to rise.
Trump’s vows to boost military spending are very popular among the troops, and his push to eliminate bureaucratic interference in battlefield decisions has received high praise, as well.
Military experts, including retired Marine Maj. Ross Schellhaas attributes the Commander in Chief’s high favorability among Marines to, “The Mattis Effect.” The Mattis Effect is a reference to the popularity of Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis, who enjoys an 84% favorability rating among our troops.
Joseph Lobban, an intelligence soldier who retired last year as a sergeant first class, explained that “Enlisted people like a man who says what he means and would like to see the job done, no frills, no questions asked. From the way President Trump has presented himself, he has been that kind of person.”
According to Lobban, and many other enlisted service men and women, Trump is the President who has spoken directly and has been able to be perceived rather easily among troops — his favorability ratings are likely to climb.
— Melanie T. Collette is a contributing writer for The Horn News and host of the “MoneyTalk with Melanie” show. She is an outspoken conservative with a passion for small government and finance.