Journalists are the top source for foreign-policy news
Core finding
In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted September 25 to 30, 2026, 41.2% rely mainly on journalists for information about foreign policy. Another 22.3% don't seek out that information.
Asked to rank five sources on defense spending, 53.5% of the 843 adults who answered put actual spending reported by journalists first.
Journalists are far ahead
The president is the main source for 11.6%, and other federal officials such as the Secretary of State for 10.0%. Content creators on platforms like TikTok and Instagram draw 6.6%.
Friends and family account for 3.2%, local officials 2.8% and members of Congress 2.3%. Respondents named one main source.
Topline
41.2% of Americans rely mainly on journalists for information about foreign policy.
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.4%
Reported spending ranks first
Among the 843 adults who ranked sources on defense spending, 53.5% put actual spending reported by journalists first and 11.5% put it last.
The ranking excludes 157 adults who did not answer. It measures which sources people consider important, not which they use or trust.
Stacked breakdown
Importance for learning about defense spending: actual spending reported by journalists (1 = most important; 5 = least important).
n = 843 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.7%
Interest groups rank last
Messages from interest groups ranked first for just 6.7%, and fourth or fifth for 59.7%.
Last place alone accounts for 32.6%.
Stacked breakdown
Importance for learning about defense spending: messages from interest groups (1 = most important; 5 = least important).
n = 843 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.7%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.4% |
| Module | Technology, Security, and Global Affairs |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
To get information about foreign policy, I primarily rely on:
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
- Actual government spending reported by journalists
Cite this topic
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.