Poll Suggests How TikTok Shapes Voter Views on Foreign Policy

As Americans prepare to vote in next month’s midterm elections, a new poll from Cygnal suggests that where voters get their news may play a growing role in shaping their views on America’s allies and foreign conflicts.

The poll surveyed 1,500 likely midterm voters over Oct. 7-10, focusing primarily on foreign conflicts and self-defense.

Of those voters surveyed, the overwhelming majority said that countries have the right to defend themselves. Party lines were crossed, with 99% of Republicans, 96% of independents, and 92% of Democrats thinking that countries have the right to defend themselves against attacks.

Despite differences over America’s role overseas, voters overwhelmingly supported the right of Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel to defend themselves from foreign aggression.

However, one group stood out: voters who get their news from TikTok. Voters who typically receive news from TikTok are 34% more likely to oppose Israel than the average voter. 

Younger voters ages 18-29 often broke from the broader electorate. Forty-eight percent of that age group said America is safer staying out of foreign conflicts, while 43% said the country is safer standing with allies. The group also showed a noticeable gap in support for different conflicts, backing Ukraine’s self-defense by 91% but Israel’s by just 67%.

This gap in opposition suggests news consumption may play a significant role in shaping how voters view America’s allies and ongoing foreign conflicts.

Brent Buchanan, founder & CEO of Cygnal, said the poll correlates opinions to their use of TikTok. “It’s staggering how much news sources impact voters’ views. For those who get their news from TikTok, only 36 percent support Israel’s continued existence. Compare that to 70 percent of everyone else. TikTok is a toxic news source feeding young Americans a steady diet of distortion about Israel, and it shows up in this data about how they see one of America’s closest allies.”

TikTok users were significantly less likely than other Americans to support Israel, despite broadly supporting self-defense.

The results indicate that voters who favor an “America First” foreign policy do not necessarily oppose America’s allies defending themselves. Many voters distinguished between direct U.S. involvement in overseas conflicts and an ally’s right to respond to attacks.

Buchanan said, “Ninety-five percent of likely midterm voters agree that a country attacked by terrorists, see Israel, or a tyrannical neighbor, see Ukraine, has the right to respond. Republicans, Independents, and Democrats all agree.”

Even with this popular view among voters, there are sharp differences among TikTok users and younger voters. Those differences suggest that where Americans get their news may increasingly influence how they view America’s allies and international conflicts.

While voters remain deeply divided on many issues heading into the midterm elections, Buchanan said, candidates can meet voters on the bipartisan ground of self-defense.

“In an electorate this divided, it’s rare to find a principle nearly everyone shares, and self-defense is one of them. It’s a core value many candidates miss the opportunity to communicate when these issues pop up on the campaign trail.”

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