Only One in Four U.S. Citizens Back Attacking Iran, Trump Seen as War-Mad

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Public support for a U.S. military strike on Iran remains low. The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey found that only about one in four U.S. adults approve of the move. In a poll conducted February 28 to March 1 among 1,282 adult respondents, 27% said they supported the attack. By contrast, 43% opposed, while around 29% were uncertain or unaware of their stance. The data suggest nationally that public opinion is sceptical of U.S. military involvement in an escalation of the conflict with Iran. When viewed by political affiliation, the differences are stark. Among Republicans, 55% said they supported the attack, while only 13% said they opposed. Conversely, among Democrats, support is almost non-existent: only 7% agree, while 74% oppose. Among independents or respondents unaffiliated with a party, approval is relatively low at 19%, with 44% opposing. This polarisation underscores that foreign policy issues and the use of military force remain a strong partisan fault line in U.S. domestic politics. A majority of Americans also view Trump as overly aggressive in his use of military power. The same survey also examined public perception of how President Donald Trump employs military power. 56% of adult Americans say Trump uses military power too much, 35% say the move is appropriate, and only 5% think the use of force is still insufficient. Perceptions again split along political lines. Among Democrats, 87% say Trump uses military power too much; among other groups, the figure is 60%. Among Republicans, only 23% share this view, and 73% consider the policy appropriate. The findings show that although national support for an attack is limited, Trump’s political base, particularly among Republicans, still provides substantial backing for the military approach taken.