War Under Trump: 80 Percent of Americans Worried Major Conflict Will Erupt Within Four Years

Most Americans have fears that the country will be involved in a major war during President Donald Trump's time in office, according to a new poll released Tuesday. Some 76 percent of Americans said they were worried a war would erupt within the next four years, while a whopping 80 percent said they were very or somewhat worried the U.S. could become engaged in a major war in relation to North Korea within the next four years.

The National Security Poll, conducted by NBC News and Survey Monkey, has increased 10 points since the last time the poll was conducted back in February.

Although most Americans view North Korea as the biggest national security threat—41 percent of Americans included in the survey thought that the pariah state was the greatest immediate threat to the U.S.—citizens were still concerned with rising U.S. tensions with the Islamic State militant group (28 percent) and Russia (18) percent.

A growing number of Americans across all political lines saw North Korea as the most urgent threat against the U.S. Forty-five percent of Republicans and those considered Republican-leaners saw North Korea as the greatest immediate threat to the U.S., followed by 42 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners, and 39 percent of independents.

In recent months, the Trump administration has warned of taking greater military action toward North Korea after it conducted rounds of ballistic missile tests. After learning North Korea was planning a sixth nuclear weapons test in April, Trump threatened to increase the U.S. military's presence in Asia-Pacific. Then, in May, the CIA announced plans to create a Korea Mission Center that would "harness the full resources, capabilities and authorities of the Agency" regarding "the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed" by Kim Jong Un.

Most Americans—59 percent—would prefer the government to employ diplomacy as opposed to taking military measures toward North Korea. However, 76 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners were in favor of a diplomatic approach to North Korea, while 65 percent of independents said they'd prefer diplomacy instead of military action. Most Republicans and Republican-leaners—56 percent—thought that the U.S. should use military force against North Korea's threats.

The poll hints at growing fears over a U.S. war emerging under the current administration. About three in every five people, or 59 percent, said they currently feel less safe in regards to North Korea threats compared with how they felt when President Barack Obama was in office a year ago.

The nationwide poll, conducted online from July 10 to July 14, surveyed 5,347 adults and has a margin of error plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.