Most Americans Say the War on Iran Wasn't Worth Fighting

Nearly seven in ten U.S. adults say the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran was not worth fighting, and 71 percent disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of Iran. Those are the results of an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey of more than 2,000 adults released Oct. 1, as reported by Al Jazeera. Opposition was 69 percent, up five points from July.

The same survey asked about daily costs. Only 17 percent approved of Trump's handling of the cost of living, meaning prices for everyday goods, and 26 percent approved on the economy overall. Approval here means the share who say they approve of his job on that issue. About half said they were deeply concerned about affording fuel for their cars, up from 39 percent in July. More than half said the national economy and the country as a whole are worse off since Trump started his second term in 2025.

Earlier national polls reported similar results. A Reuters/Ipsos poll reported June 23 found only 24 percent thought the war was worth the costs, according to Reuters. A Reuters/Ipsos poll reported Sept. 4 found only a quarter said it had been worthwhile. A Pew Research Center report dated March 25 found most Americans said striking Iran was the wrong decision and disapproved of Trump's handling of the conflict. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll reported in July found 68 percent said the war was not worth fighting. An Associated Press-NORC survey reported July 30 found 64 percent said the fighting was not worth the risks, while 33 percent said it was worth it.

Summer polls also showed wide gaps by party. The July AP-NORC result, reported by The Hill, had 87 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of independents saying the conflict was not worth fighting. Independents are voters who do not identify with either major party. A Quinnipiac University release July 29 recorded Democrats opposed by 93 percent to 5 percent and independents opposed by 73 percent to 24 percent. A separate Quinnipiac national release found 60 percent of voters saying U.S. military action against Iran was not worth it, with Democrats opposed by 93 percent to 4 percent and independents opposed by 66 percent to 29 percent. A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll dated Sept. 23 found most Massachusetts residents held the same view.

More people now expect a long war. An Aug. 14-17 Economist/YouGov poll found 50 percent thought the war with Iran will last another year or more, compared with 32 percent in early March. A Sept. 18-21 Economist/YouGov poll found 52 percent think the war will last at least another year, according to YouGov. A Sept. 25-28 Economist/YouGov poll found 32 percent think Trump would probably or definitely succeed in annihilating Iran — a term meaning to completely destroy — while 19 percent think he would likely succeed in making a deal with Iran.

The broader context here is that voters are judging the war less by battlefield news and more by household budgets, like a report card based on gas prices and groceries. Fuel worry is up, ratings on the cost of living are low, and a majority says the country is worse off than at the start of the second Trump term. For policymakers, that link makes it harder to describe staying in the war as low-cost, because Iran policy and economic management are now connected in voters' minds.

Looking at what this means for diplomacy, the polls point to two limits at once. Large majorities doubt the war was worth fighting, but only small shares express confidence that Trump will end it either by force or by agreement. In my view, the next test is whether the White House can describe a clear end goal that answers both security aims and pressure over prices at home, or whether public disapproval becomes a lasting limit on U.S. choices in the war.