---
title: "A majority of Americans still support use of drones despite questions"
description: "Despite questions raised about the program, a majority of Americans continue to support the use of drone strikes against suspected terrorists."
date: "2013-05-23"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/05/23/a-majority-of-americans-still-support-use-of-drones-despite-questions/"
---

# A majority of Americans still support use of drones despite questions

President Obama today plans to deliver a speech at the National Defense University in Washington in which he is expected to [discuss the legal framework](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-speech-to-address-counterterrorism-measures/2013/05/18/32ddac80-bff1-11e2-9b09-1638acc3942e_story.html) under which he has conducted his administration’s counterterrorism program.

The speech comes at a time when the administration’s increased use of drones to kill terrorist suspects has come under scrutiny on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder [sent a letter to congressional leaders](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/us/us-acknowledges-killing-4-americans-in-drone-strikes.html?ref=global-home&_r=1&) acknowledging that the U.S. used a drone strike in Yemen in 2011 to kill radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, an act that had raised questions because al-Awlaki was a U.S. citizen. The administration also disclosed that three other U.S. citizens had been killed in past drone strikes, two in Yemen and one in Pakistan.

[![DN_Drone_Strikes](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2013/05/DN_Drone_Strikes2.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/02/11/continued-support-for-u-s-drone-strikes/)

Obama is also expected to address the use and future of the Guantanamo Bay prison. Obama had pledged to close the prison at the beginning of his administration; detainees who are suspected of being terrorists are still held there.

Despite the questions raised about the drone program by lawmakers of both parties, a majority of Americans (56%) continue to support the program, according to a February survey. Just 26% registered disapproval. The support cuts across partisan lines – 68% of Republicans approve of the drone strikes as do 58% of Democrats. Independents support the program by a 50% to 31% margin.

However, 53% of those surveyed said they were “very” concerned that the drone strikes endangered civilian lives and another 28% described themselves as somewhat concerned.

There was less concern about the legal basis for ordering the strikes, one of the issues that came up after the killing of al-Awlaki. About three-in-ten (31%) of Americans described themselves as “very” concerned about whether strikes were conducted legally, while another 35% said they were somewhat concerned.

As for the military prison at Guantanamo, where [a hunger strike](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-20/guantanamo-hunger-strike-passes-100-days/4699710) by half of the prisoners has passed the 100-day mark, a [Fox News poll](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/22/fox-news-poll-voters-say-want-guantanamo-bay-kept-open/) conducted May 18-20 found that 63% of registered voters want to keep the facility open while 28% favor closing it and moving the detainees to other prisons in the U.S. About half of those surveyed (48%) said the use of Guantanamo had made the U.S. safer, 22% said it had made the country less safe, while 15% did not express an opinion. [Read more](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/02/11/continued-support-for-u-s-drone-strikes/)