WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans think recent U.S. military operations against Iran have been excessive, while growing numbers express concern about gas affordability, a new AP-NORC survey reveals.
The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that as the conflict enters its fourth week, it may become a significant political challenge for President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, even as his approval ratings remain stable.
With Trump sending additional warships and military personnel to the Middle East, approximately 59% of Americans view U.S. military operations in Iran as excessive.
At the same time, 45% express being “extremely” or “very” worried about gas affordability in upcoming months, a jump from 30% in an AP-NORC survey taken shortly after Trump’s reelection victory, when he pledged to strengthen the economy and reduce living costs.
Americans do back at least one presidential goal: stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Roughly two-thirds consider this an “extremely” or “very” crucial foreign policy priority for the United States. Yet they’re equally likely to prioritize keeping domestic oil and gas costs low — creating a challenging balance for the White House.
Approximately 4 out of 10 American adults continue supporting Trump’s presidential performance, matching last month’s numbers. His foreign policy approval, though slightly below his overall rating, also remained relatively stable.
Trump hasn’t clarified his future Iran strategy. While making escalating threats, he’s also hinted that diplomatic negotiations might end the conflict. Americans generally doubt Trump’s military decision-making capabilities regarding overseas force deployment, and they largely reject more aggressive measures like ground troop deployment.
Maintaining low fuel costs represents a rare bipartisan priority.
Roughly three-quarters of Republicans and about two-thirds of Democrats consider preventing U.S. oil and gas price increases highly significant.
Yet current concerns vary by party affiliation. Only about 3 in 10 Republicans report being “extremely” or “very” concerned about gas affordability in coming months, compared to approximately 6 in 10 Democrats.
Trump’s emphasis on Iran’s nuclear capabilities resonates more with Republicans than Democrats. While about two-thirds of Americans support prioritizing prevention of Iranian nuclear weapons, roughly 8 in 10 Republicans call this at least “very” significant, versus about half of Democrats.
The conflict has intensified political discussions about Israel’s role in U.S. foreign policy, particularly since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly advocated attacking Iran. Only about 4 in 10 American adults consider preventing Iranian threats to Israel a high priority.
Removing Iran’s leadership ranks slightly lower in importance. Just about 3 in 10 consider replacing Iran’s government with one more favorable to U.S. interests at least “very” significant.
While Trump sends mixed signals about when the Iran conflict might conclude, roughly 9 in 10 Democrats and about 6 in 10 independents believe the Iranian attacks have “gone too far.”
Republicans show more division. About half consider U.S. military action “about right,” though few want escalation. Only about 2 in 10 Republicans think U.S. military action hasn’t gone far enough, while roughly one-quarter believe it’s excessive.
Previous AP-NORC surveys found about 6 in 10 Americans saying Trump has “gone too far” on various issues, including tariff policies and presidential authority. This figure, broadly reflecting his overall approval, suggests that while Trump’s Iran actions are unpopular, they’re comparable to other controversial presidential decisions.
Deeper U.S. involvement in the war could alter this dynamic, depending on future developments. About 6 in 10 Americans “somewhat” or “strongly” oppose deploying U.S. ground forces against Iran, including roughly 8 in 10 Democrats and about half of Republicans. Just under half oppose airstrikes on Iranian leadership and military installations, while about 3 in 10 support such actions and roughly 3 in 10 remain undecided.
About half of American adults have “only a little” or “no” confidence in Trump’s military decision-making regarding overseas force deployment, consistent with February AP-NORC polling.
Approximately 34% of American adults support Trump’s foreign policy approach, similar to February’s 36%. This measure has remained steady recently despite numerous controversial actions, including Greenland disputes and Venezuelan attacks, generating domestic and international criticism.
This closely matches Trump’s Iran-specific approval in the current poll, where 35% of Americans view his handling of that issue positively.
The AP-NORC survey of 1,150 adults was conducted March 19-23 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The sampling error margin for all adults is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
