National Surveys

Two Months Later: Most Americans Don’t Think Trump’s War with Iran is Worth It and See No End in Sight

April 29, 2026
Julie Alderman Boudreau

This Navigator Research report covers how Americans feel about the ongoing war with Iran.

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Big Takeaways:

The war with Iran continues to dominate the news landscape. The war is the most cited positive and negative news story Americans are hearing about the president, and many of those who regret voting for President Trump in 2024 cite the war as a reason for their change-of-heart.

Half say the war isn’t worth it. More Americans continue to oppose the war than support it.

Americans are increasingly worried about being bogged down in a lengthy conflict, and a growing share think the war will last months or longer — a double-digit increase since March.

Americans are Paying Attention to the War With Iran, And It’s Impacting Their Views of Trump

More than two months in, the U.S. war with Iran continues to dominate media headlines. More than four-in-five Americans say they’ve heard at least something about the war (82%) with a majority saying they’re hearing “a lot” (57%), more than any other news item tested in this survey.

That news is influencing Americans’ views of Trump. The war with Iran was most cited when asked what good and bad news they had heard about Trump. Of the 17% of Trump 2024 voters who say they now regret their vote, the war with Iran was the most-cited reason, followed by the economy.

A bar chart from Navigator Research titled: The Ongoing War With Iran Is By Far What Americans Are Hearing Most About

Nearly three-in-five Americans oppose Trump’s handling of foreign policy (58%), including two-thirds of independents (67%). Trump’s net approval on foreign policy has fallen 15 points from -6 in June 2025 to -21 today.

Americans Don’t Think the War with Iran is Worth it

Half of Americans say the war with Iran is not worth it (50%). This includes a majority of independents (54%), nearly one-in-four Republicans (24%), and more than a third of non-MAGA Republicans (34%)

Bar chart from Navigator Research titled: At Least Half Say the U.S. Military Operation Against Iran Is Not Worth It, Say Starting It Was Wrong Decision

Opposition to U.S. military action against Iran is about the same, with half opposed (49%). This is a view shared by more than one-in-five Trump 2024 voters (21%) and a third of non-MAGA Republicans (34%).

Bar chart from Navigator Research titled: Nearly Half Continue to Oppose the U.S. Taking Military Action in Iran

Americans are Increasingly Worried About Being Bogged Down in War with Iran

A growing share of Americans expect the war with Iran to drag on. Nearly two-thirds now say the conflict will last months or longer (64%), up 11 points since March (53%), with 38% expecting it to continue for a year or more (up from 30% in March). 

Seven-in-10 Americans are worried the U.S. will be bogged down in a conflict with Iran (70%), including a majority of Republicans (55%). 57% of Americans continue to say that Trump doesn’t have a clear plan or timeline for the war, including a majority of independents (58%) and 30% of Republicans.

Bar chart from Navigator Research titled: There Are Growing Feelings the Conflict With Iran Will Go on For Months, If Not a Year; Seven in Ten Are Concerned

A Quarter of Americans Don’t Trust Either Party on the War with Iran

In March, President Trump and the Republican Party held an eight-point trust advantage over Democrats on the war with Iran (39% – 31%, respectively). In the past month, that advantage narrowed to just three points (President Trump and Republicans – 36% – Democrats – 33%). However, 24% of Americans, including a majority of independents (51%) say they trust neither party on the war.

Bar graph from Navigator Research titled: Many Americans Don't Trust Either Party on Iran on Gas Prices
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About the Study:

Global Strategy Group conducted a public opinion survey among a sample of 1,000 registered voters from April 23-April 27, 2026. 103 additional interviews were conducted among Hispanic voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among African American voters. 81 additional interviews were conducted among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. 101 additional interviews were conducted among independent voters. The survey was conducted online, recruiting respondents from an opt-in online panel vendor. Respondents were verified against a voter file and special care was taken to ensure the demographic composition of our sample matched that of the national registered voter population across a variety of demographic variables. The margin of error for the full sample at the 95 percent level of confidence is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The margin of error for subgroups varies and is higher.

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