Washington: In a stark reflection of public sentiment, a majority of Americans now view recent US military operations against Iran as having overstepped bounds, coupled with growing anxiety over gasoline costs, reveals a fresh survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The poll, conducted as the conflict ignited by the US and Israel stretches into its fourth week, underscores potential political obstacles for President Donald Trump’s Republican administration.
Despite Trump’s steady overall approval rating — held by about 4 in 10 US adults, unchanged from the prior month — his handling of foreign affairs has seen a slight dip. Notably, about 59% of respondents assert that “US military action in Iran has been excessive,” even as the president ramps up deployments of warships and troops across the Middle East, as reported by The Economic Times.
Economic pressures are amplifying the unease with 45% of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about affording gas over the coming months, a jump from 30% in an AP-NORC poll taken soon after Trump’s re-election victory, where he pledged economic gains and lower living costs.
Yet silver linings exist for White House messaging. Roughly two-thirds of the public rates preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as an “extremely” or “very” important US foreign policy priority. This aligns closely with equivalent stress on shielding Americans from oil and gas price surges — a delicate balance for policymakers to strike.
Trump’s Iran strategy sends mixed signals: escalatory rhetoric alongside overtures for diplomatic resolution. Americans remain deeply skeptical of his decisions on foreign military force, with most rejecting further escalation such as ground troops.
A rare point of cross-party consensus emerges on pump prices. “About three-quarters of Republicans and about two-thirds of Democrats say it’s highly important to prevent U.S. oil and gas prices from going up,” the poll notes. Concern levels diverge sharply, however: only about 3 in 10 Republicans report being “extremely” or “very” worried about gas affordability soon, compared to roughly 6 in 10 Democrats.
Views on the military campaign split along partisan lines. “About 9 in 10 Democrats and about 6 in 10 independents say the Iran attacks have ‘gone too far,’” per the findings. Republicans show more nuance: about half deem the action “about right,” while “only about 2 in 10 Republicans say the U.S. military action has not gone far enough,” with around one-quarter agreeing it has exceeded appropriate limits.
