Most registered US voters disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of tensions with Iran and believe the country should not have launched military strikes, according to a new NBC News poll.
The survey found 54 percent of voters disapprove of Trump’s policy towards Iran, while 41 percent approve. Another 5 percent were undecided or had no opinion.
On the question of military action, 52 percent said the United States should not have struck Iran, compared with 41 percent who supported the decision. Seven percent remained uncertain.
Opinions largely follow party lines, though the poll revealed a small but notable share of Republicans unhappy with the military intervention.
Generational differences were also apparent, with younger and older voters responding differently in the early stages of the war.
The results offer an early look at how Americans are reacting to a major military offensive initiated by a US president who campaigned during his 2024 bid to return to the White House against prolonged overseas wars.
Historically, NBC News polling shows that initial public support for US military interventions has often been high.
Surveys from early 2002 to early 2003 showed most Americans backed military action to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. Similarly, in October 2001, 87 percent of Americans approved of President George W. Bush’s handling of the “War on Terrorism” during the first US strikes in Afghanistan following the 9/11 terror attacks.
However, support for these wars later declined, with a majority eventually concluding the wars were not worth the cost.
Republicans support war on Iran
Support for strikes on Iran is strongest among Republicans.
About 77 percent of Republican voters say the United States was right to strike, while 15 percent disagree.
The poll also revealed divisions within the party.
Among Republicans aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, 90 percent back the strikes and 5 percent oppose them.
Among Republicans outside the MAGA wing, 54 percent support the action, while 36 percent oppose it.
