Perception of Iran Attacks Will Be Decided After Success or Failure of Mission

  • One third (32%) of voters say they are following the news about the Iran attacks Very Closely.
    • While this number is relatively high, it is lower than the number following the Minneapolis story Very Closely a month ago.
    • As a rule, the public does not follow foreign policy as closely as other issues.
  • Consequently, as Scott Rasmussen explains in this video overview, the current numbers on support for President Trump’s attack on Iran are more a reflection of voter attitudes towards the president and his administration than a reflection of the action in Iran.
    • As a result, the numbers change significantly with each bit of new information.
  • For example, when simply asked about the attacks on Iran, a plurality (47%) of voters opposed them. However, when told that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states were on board, opposition dropped to 38%.
    • With that new information, 50% were in favor of the attacks.
  • Ultimately, the numbers will only stabalize with the success or failure of the mission.
    • If the mission is successful, voters will feel that a threat has been removed, and may be willing to overlook the fact only 42% of them say President Trump had the authority to act on his own without getting Congressional approval.
  • This is due to the fact that 63% of voters say it as at least Somewhat Likely that Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon that could reach the United States.
    • This number includes 82% of Republicans.
    • About half (47%) of Democrats agree with that assessment.
  • Similarly, by a margin of 48% to 32%, voters feel that Iran is a threat to the national security of the United States.
    • One in 5 (20%) are not sure.
  • Overall, currently 46% of voters think the results from the attack will be good for America, while 45% disagree and say they will be bad.
    • These numbers include 22% who say they will be Very Good and 20% who say they will be Very Bad.
    • The numbers breakdown along party lines.


This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, February 28-March 1, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.