Americans see Iran as threat by large margin, but most oppose attacks on regime, poll suggests

As U.S. attacks on Iran continue, a majority of Americans oppose military action even as they call Tehran a threat, according to a poll released Friday.

In the NPR/PBS News/Marist College Poll, 56% opposed the attacks while 44% supported them, and 84% said Iran was a threat to U.S. security, with 44% calling it a major threat.

A majority (54%) also disapproved of the way Trump was handling Iran, with 36% approving.

Opinion was divided along party lines, with 84% of Republicans supporting the attacks and an almost equal number Democrats, 86%, opposing them. But 61% of independents opposed the military actions, while just 36% backed them. Likewise, independent voters disapproved of the way Trump was handling Iran by 59% to 34%.

According to the survey, fewer Americans (44%) now call Iran a major threat than right after the June 2025 air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, when 48% said that the country was a major threat. The difference was within the poll’s margin of error.

But Republicans viewing Iran as a major threat grew to 70% from 64% in 2025, while just 27% of Democrats agreed with that statement, down from 38% right after the earlier air strikes.

The poll of 1,591 adults was conducted March 2-4 and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.8 percentage points.

© JNS.