Majority of Americans oppose US military action in Iran, poll finds

• 36% of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, 54% disapprove, 10% unsure

ISTANBUL

A majority of Americans oppose US military action in Iran as tensions escalate amid US-Israel attacks, even though most view Tehran as a threat to American national security, according to a poll.

The latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll found that 56% of Americans oppose or strongly oppose US military action in Iran, while 44% said they support or strongly support the action. The proportions are largely unchanged from a similar survey conducted in January.

Public opinion remains sharply divided along partisan lines. Most Democrats, 86%, oppose US military action in Iran, along with 61% of independents. In contrast, a strong majority of Republicans, 84%, say they support American military involvement.

While more than eight in 10 Americans believe Iran poses some level of threat to the US, fewer consider it severe. The poll found that 44% of respondents see Iran as a major threat to US national security, while 40% describe it as a minor threat. Another 15% said Iran poses no threat.

That perception has eased slightly compared with public opinion following US airstrikes in Iran last June. At the time, 48% of Americans considered Iran a major threat, 39% viewed it as a minor threat and 13% said it posed no threat.

Views also vary by political affiliation. Among Republicans, 70% said Iran represents a major threat, up from 64% in 2025. Among Democrats, however, only 27% see Iran as a major threat, down from 38%, while a majority, 54%, said it is a minor threat.

Independents are more evenly split: 40% said Iran poses a major threat, down from 45% last year, while 46% describe it as a minor threat.

The poll found more Americans disapprove than approve of how President Donald Trump is handling Iran.

Overall, 36% of respondents say they approve of Trump’s approach, while 54% disapprove, and 10% are unsure. The approval is lower than in January 2020, when 42% backed the president’s handling of Iran during another period of heightened tensions.

Partisan divisions remain pronounced. Among Democrats, 86% disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran. Most Republicans, 79%, approve, though that figure has declined from 88% in 2020. Among independents, 59% now disapprove of the president’s approach, up from 49% previously.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack Saturday on Iran, killing more than 1,000 victims, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls and senior military officials.

Iran has retaliated with sweeping barrages that have targeted US bases, diplomatic facilities and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities. At least six US service members have been killed.