Steady Decline in American Concerns About Terrorism

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, in which nearly 3,000 Americans were killed in a set of four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States. The attacks not only reshaped US foreign policy and incited two decades of warin the Middle East but also left an enduring mark on the American collective consciousness. Data from the 2025 Chicago Council Survey, fielded July 18-30, 2025, finds that almost a quarter of a century later, the threat of international terrorism continues to resonate with Americans.

International Terrorism Still Seen as a Threat to United States

Americans have become less likely to consider international terrorism a critical threat to the United States over the last decade, but the issue remains salient to more than half of the general public (55% critical threat). In fact, of the possible threats listed in this question-including the development of China as a world power (50%) or a global economic downturn (49%)-international terrorism is one of the top three issues Americans view as critical to US interests.

Since the Council first started asking about the threat of international terrorism in 1998, Republicans have always been more likely than other partisans to perceive it as a critical threat-with a few exceptions. That continues today: Republicans are most likely to think international terrorism poses a critical threat to the United States (68%), while Democrats and Independents are more divided (52% and 48%, respectively). Although Republican concerns about terrorism have declined from the high levels of the 2000s and 2010s, they have recently increased since 2022.

Conclusion

More than two decades after the 9/11 attacks, the threat of international terrorism remains a top concern for Americans. These survey results show that, while no longer dominating headlines, the attacks continue to shape how Americans-and the partisans-weigh threats facing the United States.