Majority of veterans surveyed support re-election of Donald Trump: “We want Trump back”

A recent Pew Research poll shows former President Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris among veterans across the country ahead of Tuesday's presidential election.

The poll, conducted among 876 registered veterans, gave Trump, or “Leans Trump,” 61% of key demographic support. Only 37% of veterans surveyed responded that they support Harris.

According to the Census Bureau, veterans make up about 6% of the country, which is about 16 million people in 2022. The number of veterans is steadily declining across the country, with veterans making up about 18% of the American population in 1980.

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The Veterans 4 America First Institute, a nonprofit organization, responded to the recent poll showing overwhelming support for Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“The reason why veterans are sticking with Trump despite all the fake news and lies about Trump is because veterans care about two things: results and their retirement,” said Darin Selnick, an Air Force veteran and founder of Veterans 4 America First Institute said Fox News Digital.

President Trump attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 25, 2020. (Chris Kleponis/Polaris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“And with the VA, veterans all over the country are saying, 'We want Trump back,' because the VA has gone downhill. We don’t have freedom of choice in staffing or accountability,” Selnick said.

The Mission Act and Accountability Acts passed under former President Trump allowed veterans to seek private providers outside of the VA and hold underperforming VA employees accountable.

The mission statement of the Veterans 4 America First Institute is to “preserve and expand our nation’s commitment to our veterans, military, and their families through public education and advocacy.”

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According to Pew, in 2020, 60% of veterans voted for Trump and 39% voted for Joe Biden. This latest poll more accurately reflects veteran numbers from 2016, when 61% voted for Trump and just 35% voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

According to Selnick, a former Air Force captain, veterans did not rely on news or polls in their decision to support Trump.

President Trump salutes as he participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day and honor those who died while serving with the U.S. Armed Forces in Arlington, Virginia, March 25. Died in May 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

“They’ve seen the difference and (veterans) will stick with Trump. They also have the overall picture of the country in mind. You saw what happened in Afghanistan. “You saw what Trump did, how he got rid of ISIS. “You saw what he did in foreign policy, saw what he did, how it worked… you saw it with your own eyes,” Selnick said.

During President Biden's ill-fated 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, 13 American service members died in a bombing at Abbey Gate on August 26. During the graceful transfer of many of these service members, mostly Marines, President Biden was seen looking at his watch.

President Trump attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 25, 2020. (Chris Kleponis/Polaris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Many of the Gold Star families affected by this tragic bombing are supporting Trump in his re-election campaign, including Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett, who invited him to lay a wreath with their son, Sgt. Taylor Hoover's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery a few months ago.

Selnick is encouraging more veterans to go to the polls next week and participate in the 2024 presidential election, saying, “Although veterans are not a large percentage of the population, they have family members; People who support veterans make up a large percentage of the population.” When you take these into account, you know that their voice is influenced by the opinions of their veteran family members and friends, as well as those who support veterans and the military in general .

But Selnick also encourages Americans not to lose interest in veterans' opinions after the election, with Veterans Day just around the corner.

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“With Veterans Day approaching, we recognize the debt we owe to veterans each November 11th. “That's why it's important to understand what those who defend us think and believe and what their opinion is, but also their family friends and also those who support veterans,” he said.