Americans are mostly lukewarm—or outright opposed—to Washington's latest show of force against Iran. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds just 27% back the US strikes that killed Iran's leader, while 43% disapprove and 29% aren't sure. The survey, conducted as US and Israeli strikes were underway and before US casualties were announced, also shows 56% of Americans think President Trump is too quick to use military force, a view held by 87% of Democrats, 60% of independents, and 23% of Republicans.
Republicans are more supportive of the strikes overall, with 55% in favor and 13% opposed, but that backing appears conditional. About 42% in the party say they'd be less likely to support the campaign if American troops are killed or injured. Another 45% of all respondents—including roughly a third of Republicans—say rising gas or oil prices would erode their support. The poll of 1,282 adults, with a margin of error of about three points, comes as crude oil prices surged more than 8% and Trump's approval rating dipped to 39%.
CBS News reports that its polling prior to the strikes showed Americans were essentially split on the issue, with 47% of respondents saying, on a Tuesday poll, that they'd support the US taking action against Iran to prevent the country from making nuclear weapons. By the time a Friday poll was taken, after Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night, that was up to 51%. But while 60% of respondents thought the US should put pressure on Iran's leadership through diplomacy (38%) or sanctions (22%), just 18% said they supported use of military force. In Politico's polling last month, half of Trump's voters said they supported military action in Iran, but 30% opposed such action.
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