From Tweets to Treaties: Examining How Social Media and Public Opinion Influence U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions

• In Event: 21054 - Media

Abstract

Public opinion has always shaped American foreign policy, particularly when it comes to international matters like diplomatic engagements and military interventions. The rise of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has changed how public opinion is expressed and circulated in real time. Social media, in contrast to traditional media, allows for immediate public opinion or response, which has an impact on politicians and lawmakers (McGregor, 2019). This study looks at how social media is affecting the way that foreign policy decisions are made, particularly from the perspectives of agenda-setting and framing theories.
The U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 is an illustration of how public opinion shapes foreign policy. Social media criticism put pressure on decision-makers after the Taliban took back control. There were differing views; it was viewed as a failure by some and as a necessary break from a long military commitment by others (Nomikos, 2022). This instance shows how opinions on foreign policy are influenced by social media.
This study uses data from the 2020 American National Election Survey (ANES) and a large dataset of Twitter posts addressing U.S. foreign policy to investigate the relationship between demographics, social media engagement, and attitudes toward military intervention using chi-square and logistic regression tests. The results indicate that greater levels of Twitter activity are linked to a higher likelihood of supporting military intervention (p = 0.046), even though posting political content on the network alone has little or no effect on policy preferences.
These findings demonstrate the growing influence of social media on foreign policy discussions. Digital platforms make it easier to access a greater variety of opinions, but they also contribute to ideological echo chambers and fabrication, which makes democratic accountability more challenging (Baum & Potter, 2008). Understanding this dynamic is crucial for assessing the direction of U.S. foreign policy in the digital age.

Author

• Rifat Jahan Loran, University of Memphis