U.S. Public Divided on Iran Conflict and Pessimistic on Economy in Early 2026 Surveys

National surveys conducted in late February and March 2026 revealed a divided U.S. public concerning military actions against Iran, with differing views on the conflict's duration and President Trump's handling of the situation. Simultaneously, public opinion polls consistently indicated a pessimistic outlook on the U.S. economy, largely contradicting the President's optimistic assessments.

Public Opinion on Iran Policy and Military Action

Pre-Airstrikes Sentiment (February 25-27, 2026 – CBS News/YouGov Survey)

Before reported U.S. airstrikes on Iran, public opinion showed a preference for diplomatic engagement. Most Americans favored applying pressure or engaging in diplomacy with Iranian leadership.

Support for U.S. military action specifically to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons increased after President Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, resulting in a divided public at the anticipated outset of conflict.

A greater number of respondents anticipated a conflict with Iran would last months or years, rather than days or weeks. Support for military action was higher among those expecting a short conflict, while opposition was more common among those anticipating a prolonged engagement.

More Americans preferred U.S. economic or diplomatic pressure over military force for the removal of the Iranian ruling regime, though a substantial majority believed the U.S. should engage Iran in some capacity.

There was overwhelming public consensus that Congressional approval would be required for military action.

The number of Americans who felt President Trump had adequately explained the U.S. position improved slightly after the State of the Union, but a large majority remained unsatisfied. President Trump's approval rating for his handling of Iran was slightly higher than his overall approval, though it remained net negative. Historically, CBS News polling has viewed Iran or its nuclear capability as a threat, often believed to be manageable through diplomatic means.

Post-Airstrikes Sentiment (February 28 - March 23, 2026 – Various Surveys)

Following the initiation of U.S. airstrikes against Iran, including "Operation Epic Fury" launched jointly with Israel on February 28, public opinion remained divided on the military engagement.

A Fox News survey (Feb 28-Mar 2) found 61% of voters considered Iran to pose "a real national security threat" to the U.S., consistent with previous surveys.

An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll (early March) indicated 55% of respondents viewed Iran as a minor threat (40%) or no threat at all (15%), while 44% perceived it as a major threat.

An AP-NORC poll (March 19-23) reported 65% of respondents considered preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon to be extremely or very important for U.S. foreign policy objectives.

An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll (early March) found 56% of respondents opposed the ongoing military action, while 44% expressed support.

Opposition was higher among Democrats (86%) and independents (61%), while Republicans primarily supported the action (84%).

A Pew Research survey (March 16-22) showed 59% of Americans believed the U.S. made the wrong decision in using military force in Iran, compared to 38% who believed it was the right decision.

An AP-NORC poll (March 19-23) indicated 60% of U.S. adults believed the recent U.S. military action against Iran had gone too far.

A Quinnipiac University poll (March 19-23) found registered voters opposed U.S. military action against Iran by 54% to 39%. Opposition was notably polarized, with 92% of Democratic voters and 64% of independent voters opposing, compared to 86% of Republican voters who supported it. A Fox News survey (Feb 28-Mar 2) reported public support for current U.S. military action against Iran was evenly split, with 50% approving and 50% disapproving. Among military veterans, 59% approved of the U.S. strikes, with 39% disapproving.

Only 25% of Americans considered the military action against Iran to be going extremely or very well, according to a Pew Research survey (March 16-22).

An AP-NORC poll (March 19-23) indicated 62% of adults opposed deploying U.S. troops on the ground in Iran. Half (48%) opposed sending government funds to aid Israel's army. Approximately one-third supported conducting airstrikes against military targets or targeted airstrikes to eliminate Iranian leaders, with many remaining undecided.

An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll (early March) showed 54% of respondents disapproved of President Trump's handling of the situation with Iran, while 36% approved. This marked a decline in approval compared to a January 2020 Marist poll after the killing of Qassem Soleimani.

A Pew Research survey (March 16-22) found 61% of respondents disapproved of President Trump's handling of the military action, with 37% approving. A Fox News survey (Feb 28-Mar 2) showed 51% of voters believed President Trump's approach had made the U.S. less safe, an increase from 43% in July 2025. 29% believed his actions had made the U.S. safer.

Economic Outlook

Surveys conducted prior to the airstrikes consistently showed a pessimistic public outlook on the U.S. economy:

The optimism about the economy expressed by President Trump in the State of the Union address on February 24 was not shared by most Americans.

Expectations for the next year indicated a slowing economy or a potential recession, a sentiment that had been consistent. Overall ratings of the U.S. economy continued to be net-negative. Furthermore, a majority of respondents believed President Trump portrayed inflation as better than its actual state. President Trump's issue approval ratings for the economy and his overall approval had been relatively stable, with a slight increase after the State of the Union.

Broader Presidential Approval and Trust

A Fox News survey (Feb 28-Mar 2) reported President Trump's foreign policy approval rating at 40%, with 60% disapproving; his overall job performance stood at 43% approval and 57% disapproval.

An AP-NORC poll (March 19-23) indicated low public trust in President Trump's capability to make sound decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons (27%), the deployment of military force outside the U.S. (27%), and the management of relationships with allies and adversaries (26%).

Two-thirds of voters expressed concern that President Trump's use of executive orders and actions without Congressional approval could permanently alter the country's system of checks and balances, according to a Fox News survey (Feb 28-Mar 2).

Survey Methodologies

• CBS News/YouGov Survey: Conducted February 25-27, 2026, among a nationally representative sample of 2,264 U.S. adults. Sample weighted by demographics and 2024 presidential vote. Margin of error: ±2.5 points.
• NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll: Conducted early March 2026 (Monday to Wednesday following February 28), including 1,591 respondents via phone, text, and online in English and Spanish. Margin of error: ±2.8 percentage points.
• Fox News Survey: Conducted February 28 - March 2, 2026, by Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), involving 1,004 registered voters sampled from a national voter file. Margin of error: ±3 percentage points.
• Pew Research Survey: Conducted March 16-22, 2026, among 3,524 U.S. adults. Margin of error: ±1.8 percentage points.
• AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Poll: Conducted March 19-23, 2026, using the AmeriSpeak® Panel, including 1,150 adults. Overall margin of sampling error: ±4.0 percentage points.
• Quinnipiac University Poll: Conducted March 19-23, 2026, among 1,191 registered voters. Margin of error: ±3.6 percentage points.