When assess a warAmericans consider at least two important things: what are the goals abroad and what impact do they have at home?
At the moment, Americans want a lot to happen in Iran: most believe it is important to stop it Nuclear programto ensure that the Iranian people are free and that leaving the Iranian people would be unacceptable now that the conflict is ongoing Iranian regime ultimately in power.
In view of the growing economic pressure in their own country, it is also important to end the conflict as quickly as possible, they say.
Rising gas prices are fueling some pessimism about the U.S. economy in general and fear negative impacts on the U.S. economy at least in the short term, if not the long term.
Underpinning that uncertainty is a growing number of people who feel the Trump administration hasn’t explained things. Most call it a war of choice, not necessity.
All in all, most Americans feel that the conflict is not going well at the moment, even though it continues to be supported by the majority of the president’s Republican base, in part because they personally have a lot of trust in him.
Impact on gas prices and the economy
People see that the war is having an impact on rising gas prices in the short and long term.
Although the government calls for patience, people do not believe that the war will improve the US economy. In fact, most see a weakening, at least in the short term.
Fears that the USA will fall into a recession are increasing again highwhile the current economic outlook has declined down.
This is accompanied by a sharp increase in the proportion of people who have noticed rising prices.
In terms of possible patience or sacrifice, she believes Americans should not be willing to pay more for gas during the conflict.
Evaluate the war
Most Americans believe that the conflict with Iran is not going well so far. This view is predominantly held by those who do not approve of the conflict at all. .
The people who believe things aren’t going well are expressing a collective insecurity: They feel like they haven’t gotten an explanation from the Trump administration. Many are unsure how long it will take. They see no benefits, neither in making the US safer nor in strengthening the economy.
Now what: How would people assess the future?
Of the possible U.S. goals, the most important thing for Americans is simply to end the war as quickly as possible.
But most Americans also care about other goals, including ensuring the freedom of the Iranian people and ending Iran’s nuclear programs.
And it would be unacceptable for most if the regime were still in power.
If these desires seem contradictory between goals and a quick end, this is due to the persistent demand for more explanation from the administration.
Today, even fewer than at the beginning of the war say that the government has clearly stated the US goals.
Almost half believe that US ground troops will be necessary. Opinions vary widely on whether one believes the United States is doing well or not.
However, there is no greater perceived benefit in terms of the country’s security. Slightly more than a third believe that the conflict will make the USA safer in the long term.
There is also a lot of uncertainty about how long this will last. Most believe this will take months, if not years. Almost a third are not sure.
Disapproval of U.S. military action in Iran has increased since the war began, and the longer people believe the conflict will last, the greater the disapproval.
This underscores: Americans see this as a war of choice, not a war of necessity.
Support comes from the president’s base – but less from outside
MAGA stands behind Trump and the war. You have confidence in himeven if they think it might take a long time and they overwhelmingly agree with how he’s handling the situation.
In context, this pattern of MAGA support is consistent with what we have seen on other issues — across all issue areas, including military issues — over the years.
Views about Trump remain central. For most Americans, approval of the war and its course depends closely on whether they have confidence in it or not.
MAGA Republicans also say Trump is doing what he promised on Iran during the 2024 campaign.
President Trump’s overall approval rating is virtually unchanged from before the conflict began. It has been at 40% or in the low 40s for many months. He continues to receive strong support from Republicans.
But on certain measures, including managing the economy and inflation, he gets relatively lower marks than overall. And he doesn’t do as well with Republicans on those issues as he does on immigration.
In summary, those who support action against Iran are largely Republicans who have confidence in it and believe that the conflict strengthens the US position in the world and that it strengthens US security. They see it as a war of necessity, not choice.
Those disapproving of this action tend to include many Democrats and independents with no partisan ties to the president who believe it will make the U.S. less safe (both in the long and short term), and who believe it will take months if not years, or are uncertain how long it will last.
This CBS News/YouGov poll was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 3,335 U.S. adults surveyed between March 17 and March 20, 2026. The sample was weighted to be nationally representative by gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as the 2024 presidential election. The margin of error is ±2.1 points.
