New York, New York, July 19, 2023 – Carnegie Corporation of New York partnered with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs to conduct a benchmark study gauging American public awareness and interest in learning more about nuclear issues.
The prospect of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons seems more realistic now than it has for decades, raising questions about the relationship between nuclear weapons and security.
Key Data:
- A narrow slice of the U.S. public say they are at least somewhat familiar with the effects of nuclear weapons (53%), US nuclear weapons policy (30%), the targets of US nuclear weapons (31%), and the cost of these weapons (20%).
- By a five to one ratio, more Americans say that the US nuclear weapons arsenal makes the country safer (47%) than less safe (9%). But 24 percent say nuclear weapons don’t make a difference and 19 percent state they don’t know enough to make an assessment.
- A majority say they do not know enough to assess the benefit or harm of nuclear weapons to them personally (58%).
- Two-thirds believe that U.S. nuclear weapons have been effective at preventing conflict between the United States and other countries (63%).
- Six in 10 Americans say they are at least somewhat interested in learning more about U.S. nuclear weapon policy, especially basic information about how nuclear weapons work and their effects.
- Six in 10 Americans also are uncomfortable with the president having the sole authority to authorize the use of nuclear weapons by the United States.
“It’s clear that the public needs more information about nuclear issues in order to understand the relationship between nuclear threats and their own security,” said Sharon K. Weiner, senior resident fellow of the Corporation’s International Peace and Security program.
For more findings, download the full report Majority in the U.S. Interested in Boosting Their Nuclear Knowledge.