Military veterans are often talked about like a monolithic block. People assume they all think exactly the same way because they wore the same uniform. Honestly, that’s just not true. But when you look at the cold, hard data from the last few election cycles, a very clear trend emerges. The question of what percentage of veterans voted for trump is a big one for political analysts because this group—comprising about 6% of the U.S. adult population—carries massive weight in swing states.
The short answer? A lot of them.
In the most recent 2024 election, Edison Research exit polls showed that 64% of veterans backed Donald Trump, while 34% went for Kamala Harris. That is a massive 30-point gap. If you look at the AP VoteCast data, the numbers are slightly different but tell the same story: about 65% for Trump. This isn't a new thing, either. Trump has consistently held the "veteran vote" by double digits since he first stepped onto the political stage in 2016.
The Three-Election Trend: 2016 to 2024
To really understand how veterans view Trump, you have to look at the track record. It wasn’t a fluke.
In 2016, Trump won the veteran vote by about 26 points over Hillary Clinton. Pew Research Center's validated voter data put him at 61% compared to her 35%. People wondered back then if his "outsider" status was the draw. He talked about ending "endless wars," which resonated with a lot of guys who had done multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Then came 2020. Even with all the controversies, the numbers barely budged. Trump pulled in 60% of the veteran vote against Joe Biden’s 39%. While Biden did slightly better than Clinton among veterans, Trump’s floor remained incredibly high.
Fast forward to 2024. Despite a lot of noise about high-level retired generals criticizing him, the rank-and-file veteran support actually seemed to harden. That 64-65% mark is arguably his strongest showing yet with this demographic.
Why the Support? It’s Not Just One Thing
You can’t just point to "patriotism" or "guns" and call it a day. It’s more complex than that. Many veterans see the Republican party as more aligned with their views on national sovereignty and border security. In a GOVX "Presidential Pulse Check" survey of nearly 20,000 members (including 10,000 veterans), the top issues weren't actually "veteran benefits"—they were the economy, inflation, and border security.
They care about the same stuff everyone else does. But there’s a specific "military-connected" lens to it.
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There's also the JD Vance factor. Having a Marine veteran on the ticket in 2024 likely helped. Pew Research noted that 53% of veterans held a favorable view of Vance, compared to only 34% for Tim Walz, despite Walz also being a veteran (National Guard).
The Internal Divide: It's Not All One-Way
We need to be real here: the "veteran vote" has some serious internal splits.
- Race is the biggest factor. While 72% of White veterans lean Republican, Black veterans are the exact opposite—82% identify as or lean Democratic.
- The "Officer vs. Enlisted" gap. While hard to track in a single exit poll, historical data suggests that enlisted personnel lean further right than the officer corps, especially at the highest ranks.
- Era of Service. Younger veterans—those from the Global War on Terror (GWOT) era—sometimes show different patterns. A poll by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) showed their members were much more evenly split, sometimes as close as 43% for Harris and 42% for Trump.
Issues That Moved the Needle in 2024
A huge part of the 2024 surge for Trump among veterans came down to a sense of "righteous anger" regarding foreign policy. Dan Caldwell, a public policy advisor and Iraq vet, pointed out that many GWOT veterans felt betrayed by the way the wars in the Middle East were handled by the "establishment." When the Biden-Harris administration touted endorsements from the "Cheney-style" old-guard Republicans, it actually backfired with some veterans who blame that era for failed foreign adventures.
Then there's the VA. Under the first Trump administration, the VA Mission Act gave veterans more options to see private doctors. For a lot of vets, this was a game-changer. Even with recent concerns about potential job cuts at the VA, many remember the "choice" they were given under Trump and want to see that expanded.
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Actionable Insights for Understanding the Veteran Electorate
If you're trying to make sense of these numbers for a project or just to understand the political landscape, keep these points in mind:
- Don't ignore the "Super Voter" status. Veterans vote at much higher rates than the general public. In 2024, Blue Star Families found that 93% of military-connected respondents believe their vote influences the country’s direction.
- Look past the "Generals." Media coverage often focuses on what retired four-star generals say. The data shows that the voting behavior of the average veteran often goes in the completely opposite direction.
- Check the methodology. Always look at whether a poll is of "Registered Voters" or "Validated Voters." Validated voters (like Pew’s data) are usually more accurate because they verify the person actually cast a ballot.
- Factor in the "Service Identity." For many, being a veteran isn't just a box they check—it's their primary identity. They vote for the candidate they perceive as respecting that identity the most.
The data is clear: Trump has maintained a firm grip on the majority of the veteran community for nearly a decade. Whether it's the economy, a distrust of foreign intervention, or a preference for GOP-aligned social values, the percentage of veterans who voted for Trump remains one of the most stable and influential metrics in American politics today.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to dig deeper into how these numbers changed specific swing states, you should look at the county-level data for areas around major bases like Fort Liberty (NC) or Camp Lejeune. Often, the "veteran surge" in these specific counties is what flips an entire state.