The adage "only Nixon could go to China" suggests hawks face fewer domestic barriers to pursuing foreign enemies' reconciliation. However, empirical evidence was mixed until now.

What We Found

• Survey experiments show hawks have a clear advantage domestically when initiating rapprochement with foreign powers.

• This advantage holds regardless of whether the resulting diplomatic efforts succeed or fail.

Why Hawkdom Works Better

Two key mechanisms appear responsible for this finding:

• Voters more readily trust hawkish leaders' conciliatory initiatives than dovish ones.

• The public often misclassifies hawks who pursue diplomacy as moderate, reducing opposition to their actions.

Implications

These findings suggest a significant role for strategic perception in international relations. They provide microfoundational support for theories that emphasize domestic political calculations alongside external threats.