Poll: Americans Less Opposed As Trump Administration Continues Strikes On Iran, Majority Want Them Stopped

A Washington Post poll conducted shortly after strikes began and a subsequent survey show shifting American views: initially 39 percent supported “President Trump ordering airstrikes against Iran,” 52 percent opposed and 9 percent were unsure, while the later question phrased about the “U.S. military campaign against Iran” found 42 percent in support, 40 percent opposed and 17 percent unsure.

“We asked 1,000 Americans if U”

The Washington Post

The Post notes that omitting President Donald Trump from the question likely increased the share saying they were unsure, since opinions about the president tend to color views of his actions.

The Post also observes that when polls offer an “unsure” option, between 7 percent and 30 percent choose it, indicating opinions were still in flux less than two weeks into the military operation.

The percentage of Americans who say the United States should “continue military strikes against Iran” rose from 25 percent in the first weekend of attacks to 34 percent in the later poll, but a larger plurality—42 percent—still said the U.S. should “stop strikes at this time,” down from 47 percent immediately after the strikes began.

Uncertainty fell slightly: 24 percent said they were unsure about whether to continue or stop, compared with 28 percent in the initial survey.

“We asked 1,000 Americans if U”

The Washington Post

Among respondents who support the overall U.S. military campaign, 72 percent want the strikes to continue while 10 percent want them to stop and 18 percent are unsure.

Support for continuing strikes rose notably among Republicans, independents, women and people 65 and older, with majorities of seniors and Republicans backing continuation.

“We asked 1,000 Americans if U”

The Washington Post

By contrast, pluralities or majorities of independents, Democrats, women and people under 50 preferred stopping the strikes.

Public perceptions of how clearly the Trump administration has explained its goals remained low: just 35 percent said the administration had clearly explained the goals of U.S. military action in Iran, while 65 percent said they had not.

Americans expressed low tolerance for U.S. casualties: more than 6 in 10 said the number of U.S. military casualties was unacceptable given the goals and costs of the war, while fewer than 4 in 10 said they were acceptable; the Pentagon reported seven U.S. service members had died and about 140 had been wounded.

By 53 percent to 46 percent, more Americans doubted that U.S. military actions in Iran would contribute to long-term U.S. security—a more negative split than immediately after the strikes.

“We asked 1,000 Americans if U”

The Washington Post

The Post also contrasted the current split with its poll average of 10 polls showing wider opposition (50 percent to 38 percent) and noted comparisons to the Iraq War: about a week after the 2003 invasion, 58 percent said U.S. casualties were acceptable, a tolerance that later fell as casualties mounted.