President Trump campaigned on no new wars and lowering prices, and his perceived handling of those issues are shaping public sentiment.
Americans are deeply divided over the U.S. war in Iran, with many worried about the costs and the length of the conflict, a recent poll by the Pew Research Center found.
The poll also showed growing unease across political lines over the United States’ role in the world.
More than half of Americans now believe the United States does not take into account the interests of other countries when making international policy decisions, Jacob Poushter, associate director of global attitudes research at the Pew Research Center, said.
It marks the first time a majority has expressed that view since Pew began asking the question in 2002, he said.
Some 83% of Americans across political lines agree that the United States interferes in the affairs of other countries, the poll showed.
Additionally, 59% of Americans believe the United States made the wrong decision in using military force in Iran, while 51 % say the military action is going either “not too well” or “not at all well.”
Reflecting that sentiment, a coalition of Arab and non-Arab activist groups organized protests across the nation in March to condemn the U.S. attack on Iran and to demand an end to “forever wars.”
Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, said in an emailed response that Americans are increasingly exhausted by “endless wars” and the economic strain tied to prolonged military intervention abroad.
“A strategy that depends on military dominance everywhere, at all times, inevitably means being at war somewhere, all the time,” Parsi wrote in a recent analysis published in The iPaper.
He explained that the conflict with Iran could spark a broader shift toward a “multipolar world order” in which even smaller powers are capable of resisting military superpowers. Countries that traditionally relied on American military dominance, Parsi said, may reconsider their security strategies and geopolitical alignments.
Military priorities aside, economic concerns also appear to weigh heavily on the American public.
Concerns over rising gas and fuel prices emerged strongly in the polling, with 69% of Americans saying they were either extremely or very worried about the economic consequences of the conflict.
The poll comes amid poor approval ratings for President Donald Trump’s handling of key issues, including inflation, prices and foreign policy.
As the Pew Research poll showed, 62% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling U.S. military action involving Iran, including 45% who say they disapprove strongly.
Political affiliation is shaping many Americans’ views on U.S. involvement in Iran.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning respondents, 67% approve of Trump’s handling of the conflict. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning Americans, approval drops to just 9%.
While 35% of Americans overall said they were confident in Trump’s ability to make good decisions regarding Iran, confidence rises to 66% among Republicans and falls to 7% among Democrats.
Younger Republicans also appear more skeptical than older members of their party. According to Pew’s findings, Republicans between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely to question whether the United States is doing enough to avoid civilian casualties.
