Poll: Vast majority think Trump is ‘really willing’ to use military force against N. Korea

A vast majority of Americans surveyed say they think President Trump is “really willing to use military force” against North Korea, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center.

According to the data, 84 percent of Americans polled say they think the president is “really willing” to use military force against the rogue nation, something on which Republicans and Democrats generally agree.

Eighty-eight percent of Republicans said they thought Trump was really willing to use military force, and 83 percent of Democrats said the same.

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Trump’s relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been increasingly contentious since Trump took office, with the two leaders regularly exchanging insults and threats.

The president has suggested that he is willing to use force, critiquing his predecessors’ approach to the issue and saying that it is a waste of time for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to try and use diplomacy to negotiate with North Korea, despite Tillerson saying that diplomatic efforts will continue.

The survey was conducted from Oct. 25-30, just days before Trump departed for a trip to Asia that will largely focus on growing tensions in the region.

Survey respondents also showed an increased concern about North Korea’s willingness to use military force against the U.S., with 71 percent saying the U.S. should take North Korea’s nuclear threats “very seriously,” a 15-point increase from 2013.

With regards to Trump’s ability to handle such threats, Pew found strong disagreement along party lines.

Only 9 percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning respondents said they are at least somewhat confident in Trump’s ability to handle North Korea, while 80 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners said they were confident in the president.

Trump will not visit the Demilitarized Zone during his Asia trip this week, and his national security adviser said Thursday that the administration is considering relisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.