---
title: "Curbing  military aid to Egypt has support among the U.S. public"
description: "The Obama administration reportedly is planning to curb U.S. military aid to Egypt, a move that many Americans would support, according to a Pew Research poll conducted in August."
date: "2013-10-09"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/10/09/curbing-military-aid-to-egypt-has-support-among-the-u-s-public/"
categories:
  - "International Affairs"
  - "News Media Trends"
---

# Curbing  military aid to Egypt has support among the U.S. public

[![FT_Egypt_Aid](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2013/10/FT_Egypt_Aid.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/08/19/public-backs-cutoff-of-military-aid-to-egypt/)

As Egypt's military-dominated government continues its sometimes violent crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, the Obama administration is reportedly planning to [curb a substantial portion](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/world/middleeast/obama-military-aid-to-egypt.html?ref=global-home&_r=0)  of the $1.3 billion it provides that country in military aid.

Such a move, representing a major shift change in relations with a country that had been a key ally in the Mideast, generally has support among the U.S. public, if recent polls are an indicator. A [Pew Research Survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/08/19/public-backs-cutoff-of-military-aid-to-egypt/#overview) conducted in August found that 51% of Americans believed the U.S. should cut off military aid to Egypt to pressure the government there to end the violence against anti-government protesters while 26% said it would be better to continue military aid as a means of maintaining U.S. influence.

Half of those surveyed said President Obama had not been tough enough with the Egyptian military in response to the violence against protesters, while 12% said his response had been about right. A large number -- 32% -- expressed no opinion.

Although the U.S. public on balance preferred a tougher line in dealing with the Egyptian military, 45% of those surveyed said the military would provide better leadership for Egypt compared to 11% who said the Muslim Brotherhood would do so. About one-fifth (19%) said neither would provide better leadership for the country and a quarter expressed no opinion.

Public interest in events in Egypt has not been high -- in August, 22% said they were following news of political violence very closely -- but it has been far lower than when the Arab Spring swept the region two years ago.

Events in Egypt also come at a time when Americans want to see the U.S. less involved in Middle East political changes. More than six-in-ten (63%) held that view in a [survey in October 2012](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/10/18/on-eve-of-foreign-debate-growing-pessimism-about-arab-spring-aftermath/) while just 23% wanted to see greater U.S. involvement.

Whatever value Egypt's government puts on the U.S. military aid, the Egyptian public has a dim view of it. In a [survey conducted last spring](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2013/05/16/chapter-5-views-of-u-s-and-israel/#usaid) before the current turmoil, 58% of Egyptians said U.S. military aid had a mostly negative impact on the country.