Grim survey finds 76 percent of Americans worry the U.S. is hurtling toward a 'major war'

U.S. soldiers take part in a joint military drill in Bulgaria.
(Image credit: DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)

A majority of Americans are concerned that the U.S. could become involved in a 'major war' at some point in the next four years, a grim new NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll has found. An overwhelming 76 percent answered that they are worried about impending war, up from 66 percent who said they were fearful of a major conflict when the same question was asked in February.

Americans believe a number of different nations could pose the greatest immediate threat, although North Korea emerged as the most probable opinion (41 percent). Americans also fear conflict with the Islamic State (28 percent) and Russia (18 percent).

President Trump has vowed to expand the nuclear arsenal to make the United States the "top of the pack" and warned, "there is a chance we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea." His administration also became the first to use the so-called "mother of all bombs" on Afghanistan earlier this year.

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The survey reached 5,347 adult Americans online between July 10 and July 14 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percent. Read the full findings here.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.