Lester Crown Center on US Foreign Policy

Shaping debates and informing decisions on important US foreign policy issues.
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Public Opinion
Chicago Council Survey data tracks trends in American public opinion on US foreign policy since 1975.
Survey Reports
Research
Analysis and policy recommendations on US foreign policy and national security.
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Policymakers and influencers share their experience and insight to keep the public informed.
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From the Lester Crown Center

RESEARCH Public Opinion Survey
Americans, Foreign Policy, and the 2026 Midterms
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Pamela Smith / AP
Results and analysis of the Council's 2026 annual survey of American views on foreign policy.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Public Opinion
Evan Vucci / AP
As Fears of China Wane, Americans Favor Greater Engagement with Beijing
RESEARCH Public Opinion Survey by Craig Kafura
Demonstrators rally outside the White House to protest US military action in Iran Demonstrators rally outside the White House to protest US military action in Iran Demonstrators rally outside the White House to protest US military action in Iran Demonstrators rally outside the White House to protest US military action in Iran Public Opinion
Jose Luis Magana / AP
7 in 10 Americans Say Iran War Not Worth Fighting
RESEARCH Public Opinion Survey

Built by Immigrants, Shaped by Immigration

Results and analysis of the Council's survey of Chicagoland residents on immigration policies.
Explore the data
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Center at a Glance

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Reuters
Public Opinion Surveys on US Foreign Policy

First conducted in 1974, the now annual Chicago Council Survey highlights critical trends and shifts in American views on US foreign policy over time.

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Running Numbers Blog

A public opinion, probabilities, and everything data-related blog featuring commentary and analysis from polling and foreign policy experts.

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In the News

Commentary and analysis from Lester Crown Center experts featured in digital, print, and TV news.

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Public Opinion

Why Public Opinion Surveys Matter

Featured Video
Go behind the scenes of the Chicago Council Survey as it marks 50 years of bringing the voices of everyday Americans into the foreign policy conversation.
Meet the Experts
All Lester Crown Center experts
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Leslie Vinjamuri

President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She is Professor of Practice in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
More about Leslie
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Dina Smeltz

Managing Director & Chair, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dina Smeltz, a polling expert, has more than 25 years of experience designing and fielding international social and political surveys. Prior to joining the Council to lead its annual survey of American attitudes on US foreign policy, she served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the US State Department's Office of Research from 1992 to 2008.
More about Dina
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Craig Kafura

Director, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Craig Kafura is the director of public opinion and foreign policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project, and a Pacific Forum Young Leader. At the Council, he coordinates work on public opinion and foreign policy and is a regular contributor to the public opinion and foreign policy blog Running Numbers.
More about Craig
All Lester Crown Center experts

Crown Center Events

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Olbrich Gardens in Madison, WI on August 11, 2026.
Nam Y. Huh / AP
The State of American Opinion: The 2026 Chicago Council Survey
PAST EVENT VIDEO

John Lapinski, Dina Smeltz, and Asma Khalid unpack what the results of the 2026 Chicago Council survey tell us about Americans’ foreign policy priorities heading into the midterms.

American flags lined up in front of the US Capitol ahead of President Joe Biden's inauguration on January 18, 2021.
Alex Brandon / AP
Public Opinion and the Future of US Foreign Policy
PAST EVENT

An expert roundtable convened in partnership with Bridging the Gap explores what public opinion data can indicate about the future of US foreign policy.

Leslie Vinjamuri, Yawei Liu, Dina Smeltz, Paul Heer on the Council stage
Ana Miyares Photography
China and the World: How Citizens View Their Country's Global Future
PAST EVENT VIDEO

Join us as we discuss the results of a new survey of Chinese public opinion on foreign policy and what these findings mean for US-China relations and China's role in the world.

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Ana Miyares Photography
Democracy in the Age of Quantum + AI
PAST EVENT VIDEO Global Quantum Forum

Dina Smeltz, Kate Weber, and Ethan Bueno de Mesquita discuss how Americans view quantum and AI, and what it means for democracy.