Poll finds low support for U.S. strikes on Iran

Jason Lange

REUTERS

WASHINGTON – Only one in four Americans approves of the U.S. strikes that killed Iran’s leader, while about half – including one in four Republicans – believe President Donald Trump is too willing to use military force, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on March 1.

Some 27% of respondents said they approved of the strikes, while 43% disapproved and 29% were not sure. About nine in 10 respondents said they had heard at least a little about the strikes, which began early Feb. 28.

The poll showed that 56% of Americans think Trump, who has also ordered strikes in Venezuela, Syria and Nigeria in recent months, is too willing to use military force to advance U.S. interests. The vast majority of Democrats – 87% – held this view, as did 23% of Republicans and 60% of people who don’t identify with either political party.

The poll was conducted during the strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, and closed before the U.S. military announced the first American casualties in the operation.

While 55% of Republicans said they approved of the strikes and 13% disapproved, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found 42% in Trump’s party said they would be less likely to support the Iran campaign if it leads to 'U.S. troops in the Middle East being killed or injured.'

Trump’s presidential approval rating ticked slightly lower to 39%, one percentage point below a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Feb. 18-23.

The strikes on Iran began three days before the first primaries of the midterm elections, which will determine whether Trump’s Republicans maintain their majorities in Congress for the next two years.

Reuters/Ipsos polls have consistently shown that voters’ top concern heading into the elections is the economy, far more than foreign affairs.

The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll gathered responses online from 1,282 U.S. adults nationwide. It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.