WASHINGTON (Realist English). Nearly six weeks into the U.S. military campaign against Iran, a new Pew Research Center survey conducted from March 23 to 29, 2026, among 3,507 American adults finds that rising gas prices are the outcome that concerns Americans the most.
However, majorities also worry about the U.S. sending ground troops into Iran, large numbers of military casualties, terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, and the war expanding outside the Middle East.
Conduct of the war: preventing casualties
Americans are closely divided on whether the U.S. is doing enough to prevent civilian casualties in the Iran war: 41% say it is doing enough, while 45% say it is not; 13% are not sure.
- Partisan gap: 65% of Republicans (and Republican-leaning independents) believe the U.S. is doing enough. In contrast, 68% of Democrats say it is not doing enough.
- At the same time, a broad majority (69%) agree that Iran itself is not doing enough to prevent civilian casualties.
Confidence in Trump
Only 35% of Americans are confident in President Donald Trump’s ability to make good decisions regarding Iran. 64% lack confidence.
- Among Republicans, 66% are confident; among Democrats, only 7%.
- Compared with 2024, confidence in Trump in this area has declined by 12 percentage points, and by 9 points since August 2025.
- There is a sharp age divide within the Republican Party: 80% of Republicans aged 65 and older are confident, while only 46% of young Republicans (ages 18–29) are confident (53% are not).
Concerns about the war’s consequences
- Rising gas and fuel prices worry 69% of Americans (45% are extremely concerned). This is the most worrying outcome among all possible consequences. Even among Republicans, 59% are concerned, while among Democrats it is 79%.
- Sending ground troops into Iran – 66% concerned.
- Large numbers of military casualties – 63% concerned.
- Terrorist attacks in the U.S. – 62% concerned.
- Expansion of the war outside the Middle East – 60% concerned.
- Only 31% are concerned about a shortage of weapons for the U.S. military.
Impact on Iran’s nuclear program
Opinions are almost evenly divided:
- 27% say U.S. military action will make Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon more likely.
- 27% say less likely.
- 29% say about as likely as before.
Among Republicans, 47% believe the nuclear threat will become less likely; among Democrats, only 10%. Conversely, 38% of Democrats and 17% of Republicans believe the risk will increase.
Future of the Iranian people
A plurality of Americans (36%) predict that the Iranian people will be worse off after the conflict. 25% expect improvement, 16% see no change, and 21% are not sure.
- Among Republicans, 47% expect Iranians will be better off, while only 5% of Democrats agree.
- Among Democrats, 56% expect the Iranian people will be worse off, compared with 17% of Republicans.
Personal importance of the war
77% of Americans say U.S. military action against Iran is personally important to them (48% say it is very important). Majorities of both Republicans (81%) and Democrats (76%) share this view.