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By Andrew Stanton
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A new poll revealed that more Americans approved than disapproved of President Donald Trump’s strikes against Iran, with support being bolstered by Republicans.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The findings came nearly three weeks into the Iran war, offering a snapshot of public sentiment on the use of force. Polls have revealed Americans’ mixed sentiments about the Iran war since the administration launched strikes with Israel against the Middle Eastern country on February 28. Support for the war could be crucial to Republicans’ chances of winning key seats in the midterms.
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What to Know
Overall approval for the strikes stood at 43 percent, while 33 percent disapproved, indicating a 10-point net advantage for approval, according to the new poll from Politico and Public Me. The poll covered March 13 to18 and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6 percentage points.
Partisan and ideological divides drove much of the gap, with self-identified "MAGA" respondents reporting 81 percent support and 7 percent opposition.
Among Republicans who did not identify as MAGA, support registered at 61 percent, with 19 percent not supporting the strikes, according to the poll.
What Do Other Polls Say About Trump Iran war Approval Rating?
Other polls have been less positive for Trump, however.
A YouGov/The Economist poll released this week found that 56 percent of Americans oppose the Iran war, while only 33 percent support it; 48 percent believe the strikes were not justified, while 31 percent said they were. And 56 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran, compared to 36 percent who approved of his handling.
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The poll surveyed 1,595 adults from March 13-16, 2026 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
An Ipsos poll found that 58 percent of Americans approved of U.S. military strikes against Iran, while 38 percent approved of the strikes. Only 17 percent said they would support sending ground troops to Iran, while 78 percent said they would oppose such a measure.
It surveyed 1,025 Americans from March 13-15, 2026 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Trump has maintained that he does not plan to send ground troops into Iran.
"I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I did, I wouldn’t tell you," he told reporters Thursday.
Why Did the U.S. and Israel Attack Iran?
Trump said the strikes were intended to crush Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and urged Iranians to overthrow their leaders once the operation ends, telling them to "take over your government."
In a speech announcing the attack, Trump said: "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime…Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world.
"It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I'll say it again: They can never have a nuclear weapon. That is why, in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime's nuclear program at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan."
He warned Iranians that "it’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere," but once the operation is finished, "take over your government. It will be yours to take."
Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing a nuclear weapon and had engaged in diplomatic talks with the U.S. only days earlier to prevent military conflict.
Trump previously called for regime change in Iran. The U.S. launched strikes against Iran in June 2025, damaging three major nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The president also referenced Iran’s recent bloody crackdown on protesters in the country in his speech: "Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested."
The Defense Intelligence Agency's 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment report concluded that Iran had not been producing a nuclear weapon but has "undertaken activities in recent years that better position it to produce them, if it chooses to do so."
What People Are Saying
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Politico: "What matters most to the American people is having a Commander-in-Chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe, which is exactly what President Trump is doing with the ongoing successful Operation Epic Fury. President Trump campaigned proudly on his promise to deny the Iranian regime the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, which is what this noble operation is seeking to accomplish."
CNN data analyst Harry Enten said on X Wednesday: "There's no break in MAGA. Trump's approval with MAGA GOP is literally 100%. 90% of MAGA GOP approve of U.S. military action in Iran. Those who disapprove of Trump are not MAGA at this point. Importantly: MAGA makes up the same share of voters as it did when Trump won in 2024."
Journalist G. Elliot Morris wrote in a March 15 Substack post: "The war in Iran doesn’t need to fracture MAGA to hurt Republicans in November. It just needs to keep soft partisans and independents sour on the direction of the country."
What Happens Next
Further polling could clarify how Americans’ views of the war shift, particularly if U.S. objectives, scope of operations, or casualty reports change. The Iran war will remain a major foreign policy issue ahead of the midterms, when Democrats hope to flip seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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