The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year. Just 18% say the terrorist threat has gone down, while 27% believe it has stayed about the same.
In Rasmussen’s November 2024 survey, 43% thought the threat of terrorism had gone up during Joe Biden's time in the White House.
Thirty-five percent (35%) now believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, compared to 43% who think foreign terrorism is the greater threat. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not sure. The number seeing a greater threat from domestic terrorism has decreased from 60% in September.
Among those who say foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, 77% believe the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 52% of voters unaffiliated with either major party think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Forty-six percent (46%) of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 40% of unaffiliated voters say foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, while 39% of Democrats, 32% of Republicans and 33% of unaffiliated voters believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat.
There is not a significant “gender gap” on these questions, with just slightly more women voters (54%) than men (51%) saying the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters earning between $100,000 and $200,000 a year are most likely to believe the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of those who voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year, compared to 42% of those who voted for Donald Trump.
Forty-six percent (46%) of whites, 28% of black voters, 41% of Hispanics and 56% of other minorities think foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, while 31% of whites, 49% of black voters, 42% of Hispanics and 29% of other minorities believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat. Black voters are less likely to say the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
A majority of voters 50 and older consider foreign terrorism a greater threat to the United States and think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
The survey of 1,123 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on December 16-18, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
In Rasmussen’s November 2024 survey, 43% thought the threat of terrorism had gone up during Joe Biden's time in the White House.
Thirty-five percent (35%) now believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, compared to 43% who think foreign terrorism is the greater threat. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not sure. The number seeing a greater threat from domestic terrorism has decreased from 60% in September.
Among those who say foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, 77% believe the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 52% of voters unaffiliated with either major party think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Forty-six percent (46%) of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 40% of unaffiliated voters say foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, while 39% of Democrats, 32% of Republicans and 33% of unaffiliated voters believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat.
There is not a significant “gender gap” on these questions, with just slightly more women voters (54%) than men (51%) saying the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters earning between $100,000 and $200,000 a year are most likely to believe the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of those who voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year, compared to 42% of those who voted for Donald Trump.
Forty-six percent (46%) of whites, 28% of black voters, 41% of Hispanics and 56% of other minorities think foreign terrorism is a greater threat to the United States, while 31% of whites, 49% of black voters, 42% of Hispanics and 29% of other minorities believe domestic terrorism is a greater threat. Black voters are less likely to say the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
A majority of voters 50 and older consider foreign terrorism a greater threat to the United States and think the threat of terrorism has gone up in the past year.
The survey of 1,123 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on December 16-18, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
