Polls Suggest Public Opinion Improving Over Iran Operation

Public opinion about President Donald Trump’s military operation in Iran could be improving, with a new poll showing 56% of likely voters support the targeting of Iranian leadership.

Trump has made many pitches to the American people about his objectives in Operation Epic Fury, including taking more than 20 reporter phone calls, deploying Cabinet officials to explain the war’s rationale, and holding two White House press calls explaining why the war was necessary.

A March 3 OnMessage poll showed 56% of likely voters support the targeting of Iranian leadership, and 63% of likely voters support the targeting of Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile capacity.

In both cases, more than 90% of Republicans are aligned in supporting Trump’s actions.

About 45% of likely voters approve of Trump overall, according to OnMessage, a similar level as in other polls. However, 53% agree with the statement, “Even if I don’t agree with President Trump on other issues, I think he’s right to help free citizens from oppressive governments, like Iran’s and Venezuela’s, that take away rights from their own people.”

A March 3 Fox News poll also showed improvement in public opinion, with 50% of voters approving of the military operation and 50% disapproving.

According to the Fox poll, 84% of Republicans supported military action.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Sunday said only 27% of Americans approved of the U.S.-Israeli bombing of Iran. A CNN poll released March 2 said nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapproved of the operation, fearing long-term military conflict.

Part of the administration’s messaging strategy has been combating such concerns by comparing the operation’s length to the Iraq War. Vice President JD Vance said Trump will not “allow” the war to go on for multiple years, and Hegseth said the conflict will not be “endless.”

The vast majority of voters see Iran as “a threat to global peace and democracy.”

Over 75% of likely voters agreed that “if Iran built a nuclear weapon, they would pose a direct threat
to the United States,” according to OnMessage. Similarly, the Fox News survey found 61% think Iran poses “a real national security threat” to the United States.

In the current environment, 52% of likely voters supported the immediate and full funding of the Department of Homeland Security, which is currently partially shut down.