Polls show Americans’ opinion on the war in Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are divided along party lines over U.S. military action against Iran, according to polls conducted since the war began, with most polls showing opposition higher than support.

Opinion polls indicate that many Americans are concerned that military action makes the United States “less safe,” even though they see Iran as a threat to US security. There are also warning signs for Trump as he faces the prospect of a protracted conflict that could be accompanied by major economic disruptions. Trump gave mixed messages Monday about the war’s timeline, suggesting it may be close to its end while also threatening to use additional force against Iran if the country disrupts the global flow of oil.

Perhaps the volatility of oil prices is already worrying voters. A poll conducted over the weekend found that about 7 in 10 registered voters are “very” or “somewhat” concerned that the war will lead to higher oil and gasoline prices, and the vast majority expect US action against Iran to last at least “months,” if not longer.

Opinion polls show that Republicans largely support the president, but there are indications that they are wary of any response that would lead to US troops being on the ground in Iran. After Trump pledged in his election campaign to put “America first” and end US involvement in “forever wars,” the Iranian conflict could become a particular point of contention.

There is more opposition to US military action than support

About half of registered voters — 53% — oppose U.S. military action against Iran, according to a new Quinnipiac poll conducted over the weekend. Only 4 in 10 support it, and about 1 in 10 are not sure.

This is similar to the results of rapid text message polls conducted by the Washington Post and CNN, which were conducted shortly after the start of the joint US-Israeli attacks, which also indicated that the number of Americans who rejected military action was greater than the number who embraced it.

A recent Fox News poll showed that opinions were more evenly divided: half of registered voters approved of US military action, while the other half disapproved.

Several recent polls show that a majority of Americans believe the Trump administration has not provided a clear explanation for the reasons behind the military strikes, and there is some division over whether Iran truly poses an “imminent and direct threat” to the United States, as the White House has said.

Most voters in the Quinnipiac poll — 55% — said they did not believe Iran posed an “imminent military threat” to the United States before the current military action. On the other hand, about 6 in 10 registered voters in a Fox News poll said Iran poses a “real national security threat,” and a recent AP-NORC poll showed that about half of American adults are very concerned that Iran’s nuclear program poses a direct threat to the United States.

Voters are concerned about gas prices

With oil prices fluctuating, the vast majority of voters are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about rising oil and gasoline prices in the United States, according to a Quinnipiac poll. Only about a quarter of voters are “not concerned” or “not concerned at all.”

The highest levels of concern are driven by Democrats and independents, but about half of Republicans also feel at least somewhat concerned about the war driving up gas prices.

He watches: An oil expert warns of a “nightmare scenario” that could be sparked by war with Iran

Trump said on Monday that the United States would take further measures against Iran if it made any attempt to cut off global oil supplies.

Nearly half are concerned about the safety of the United States and question Trump’s judgment

As the Iran war spreads to the Middle East, many Americans also worry that Trump’s military decisions have made the United States less safe.

About half of voters in the Quinnipiac and Fox News polls said U.S. military action in Iran makes the United States “less safe,” while about 3 in 10 in each poll said it made the country safer. The CNN poll found that about half of American adults believe the strikes will make Iran a “more threat” to the United States, while only about 3 in 10 believe they will reduce the risk.

About 6 in 10 American adults said they trusted Trump “not a lot” or “not at all” to make the right decisions about US use of force in Iran, according to a CNN poll. Republicans expressed greater confidence than Democrats or independents.

Likewise, an AP-NORC poll conducted before the strikes found that 56% of American adults trusted Trump “a little” or “not at all” to make the right decisions about the use of military force abroad.

Concerns about troop deployment

Most voters are concerned about the potential expansion of the scope of the war.

About three-quarters of voters oppose the idea of ​​sending ground troops to Iran, according to a Quinnipiac poll conducted after the deaths of six US service members were announced. The service member’s seventh death was reported Wednesday.

The Trump administration acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, and did not rule out sending American soldiers to Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that it was “foolish” to expect US officials to publicly say “this is exactly how far we will go.”

Only about 2 in 10 in the Quinnipiac poll supported sending troops to Iran. Even among Republican voters, the poll found more opposition to sending ground troops than support, by 52% versus 37%.