In the context of widespread June protests concerning illegal immigrant detentions, the decision by former President Trump to station National Guard troops in Los Angeles brought about significant controversy. This executive order was executed in circumvention of California Governor, Gavin Newsom, who expressed disapproval of the move, contending it escalated tensions. The question arises as to whether the president’s decision to dispatch troops to California was a valid one, a topic that evenly splits the views of voters in Utah according to a recent survey by Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics, administered by HarrisX.
Results from the study exposed that, out of the informants questioned, 50% either robustly or moderately supported the president’s action. On the other side of the debate, 37% indicated either a strong or slight disapproval of the deployment. Equally interesting was the 12% who expressed uncertainty on whether to approve or disapprove, indicating the complexity of this issue.
From a wider perspective, the poll results reflect a degree of caution Utah citizens exhibit regarding the power of the federal government. Specifically, they are wary of the authority to deploy National Guard in response to a protest without a nod from the state. The act of federalizing the National Guard, especially in matters of protests, is relatively uncommon in U.S. history, not without its fair share of contention.
Historical markers like the Civil Rights movement or the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020 — have left indelible memories. The feelings of the public lean towards preferring such important security decisions to be made by familiar state leaders who have earned their trust, even if they generally align with the president’s policies.
The aforementioned poll, which surveyed 802 registered Utah voters from July 9 to 16, carries a margin of error of about 3.5 percentage points. The implications of Trump’s decision gained widespread attention, as this marked the first instance in several decades where a sitting president dispatched troops to a state without the consent of a governor.
An interesting dimension of the poll was the perception of voters on whether the president should have the power to deploy troops according to his judgment, or if clearance from the governor should be a prerequisite. More than half of the respondents, constituting 58%, supported the notion that the president could unilaterally do so. However, 42% argued that the initiation of troop movement should occur only after a formal request by a governor or mayor.
Instances of the National Guard aiding in natural calamities are abundant in American history, with which Utah citizens resonate more strongly. However, instances of their involvement in quelling riots or protests, or enforcement of local laws such as immigration legislation rank lower. The more political the deployment seems, the wider is the divide in public opinion.
The Deseret News survey also probed into the circumstances in which voters believe a president should be able to independently mobilize the National Guard without requiring a governor’s approval. A humongous majority, approximately 70%, felt it acceptable during natural disasters. Both Republicans (75%) and Democrats (66%) found common ground on this point.
Roughly one-third of the voters supported the concept of the National Guard being mobilized to handle deportations (35%) and responding to protests (33%). Moreover, approximately 58% of participants thought that employing the National Guard was an adequate response to unrest and riotous situations.
Digging into specific party affiliations revealed interesting patterns. Around 75% of Republican voters and 46% of independent voters agreed with troop involvement, even if the state did not greenlight it. Contrastingly, only 26% of Democrats shared this sentiment.
Notably, party association inhabited a role in shaping these views, but so did the type of media people were exposed to during the poll collection period. For instance, several conservatives were exposed to media that focused predominantly on episodes of violence and disturbances, which seemed to validate the deployment of troops. Other voters experienced news coverage emphasizing peaceful protests, leading to amplified opposition to the president’s decision.
The post Utah Poll: Public Divided on Trump’s Deployment of National Guard appeared first on Real News Now.
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