The New Red Scare? 43% of Americans See Communism as a Threat

A July 2026 Economist/YouGov poll indicates that 43% of U.S. adults perceive domestic communism as a moderate or major threat. The data highlights a profound partisan divide, with Republicans far more likely to express alarm than Democrats.

The 43 Percent Who See a Communist Threat

According to the Economist/YouGov survey, 43 percent of U.S. adults view communists in the United States as posing at least a moderate threat. This figure is further divided, with 18 percent of respondents labeling the threat as "major" and 25 percent viewing it as "moderate."

The survey, which sampled 1,602 U.S. adult citizens between July 17 and 20, 2026, also found that 23 percent of respondents consider the threat to be minor. Meanwhile, 33 percent of those surveyed believe that communists in the U.S. pose no threat at all.

The 64 Percent Republican Alarm vs. Democratic Skepticism

Political affiliation creates a stark divide in how Americans perceive ideological threaats. As the Economist/YouGov report says, 64 percent of Republicans believe communists pose at least a moderate threat, with 34 percent specifically labeling it a major threat and 30 percent calling it moderate.

In contrast, Democratic views are significantly more relaxed. Only 7 percent of Democrats view communists in the U.S. as a major threat, and 22 percent see it as a moderate threat. Notably, half of all Democrats—50 percent—do not believe that communists in the U.S. are a threat at all.

President Trump's Warning on the "Hard Turn Left"

This climate of suspicion aligns with rhetoric from President Trump, who has argued that the Democratic Party's "hard turn left" is dangerous for the country. President Trump has specifically referenced the sacrifices of American warriors who fought communism on global battlefields, suggesting it is unacceptable for such ideologies to emerge within American borders.

This trend echoes the historical "Red Scares" of the 20th century, where fear of internal subversion was used to define political boundaries. By framing the current political opposition as an existential threat that leads to "squalor, crime, and death," the discourse shifts from a debate over policy to a battle over national survival.

Who Exactly Do Respondents Define as "Communists"?

A critical piece of information remains missing from the Economist/YouGov data: the specific definition of "communist" provided to respondents. it is unclear whether participants are identifying actual members of organized communist parties or applying the label to general socialist or progressive policies championed by the Democratic Party.

Because the source does not provide the survey's internal definitions or a breakdown of what respondents consider "communist" behavior, the results may measure the success of political labeling rather than the actual gorwth of communist organizations in the United States.