As President Donald Trump ramps up his calls for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and hints at direct U.S. military involvement, a clear partisan divide is emerging among Americans over how far the country should go in backing Israel’s escalating conflict with Iran.
Why It Matters
The growing partisan divide over how the U.S. should respond to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran reflects not only the stakes of potential military involvement but also the shifting contours of American foreign policy under President Trump. While most Americans agree that Iran poses a serious threat, sharp differences over how to address it—particularly among Trump’s Republican and MAGA base—could shape the administration’s next moves.
With public anxiety about Iran’s nuclear ambitions rising, and Trump signaling a willingness to escalate, the path the U.S. chooses could determine not just the future of Middle East stability, but the role America plays in global conflicts.
What To Know
A majority of Americans view Iran as a serious national security threat, polls show.
According to the latest Fox News poll, conducted between June 13-16 among 1,003 registered voters, 73 percent think Iran poses a real threat to the U.S., a 13-point increase from six years ago.
That includes a majority of Democrats (69 percent), Republicans (82 percent), and Independents (62 percent), and those numbers are up since 2019 (by 12, 17, and 4 points respectively), says Fox News.
The latest J.L. Partners poll, conducted between June 16-17 among 1,039 registered voters, shows similar levels of support. According to the poll, Americans overwhelmingly see Iran as a serious threat: 73 percent say Iran having nuclear missiles would be a serious threat to the U.S. and it cannot be allowed. Only one in ten say it would not be a serious threat (10 percent).
And there is broad support for that view across every group in American society—every age, region, and race—including 63 percent of Democrats, 88 percent of Republicans, and 70 percent of Independents. Self-described ‘MAGA Republicans’ agree, by 88 percent to 6 percent, says the J.L. Partners poll.
Similarly, the latest Echelon Insights poll, conducted between June 17-18 among 1,002 likely voters, shows that 69 percent of voters think that Iran is either a major or minor threat to the U.S. Only 17 percent of voters think it is not threat at all.
But while most voters agree Iran is a serious national security threat across party lines, support for Trump’s aggressive stance—including potential military strikes—is being driven largely by Republicans, particularly his MAGA base.
According to Echelon Insights, 45 percent of voters support Israel’s strikes on Iran, while 35 percent are opposed. Asked what role the U.S. should play, only 8 percent favor joining Israel in military attacks, while 41 percent want America to stay completely out. Another 40 percent support limited involvement through diplomacy or defense.
The Fox News poll shows that Americans are nearly evenly split on whether to support Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with 49 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving. Approval among Republicans stands at 73 percent, more than double that of Democrats and Independents, both at 32 percent.
But despite that backing, most Americans are wary of the consequences. Fifty-nine percent say the strikes are more likely to make the world more dangerous, a view shared by 74 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of Independents, and even 36 percent of Republicans.
Meanwhile, the J.L. Partners poll shows that support for U.S. military action against Iran is strongest among Trump’s most loyal supporters. Two in three self-identified “MAGA Republicans”—65 percent—support U.S. military strikes on Iran, with just 19 percent opposed. That figure surpasses even the support among “Traditional Republicans,” who back strikes by a narrower margin of 51 percent to 28 percent.
More broadly, Republican voters increasingly view Israel’s conflict with Iran as a U.S. obligation. Sixty percent of Trump voters say “Israel’s war is America’s war,” and believe the United States must be prepared to act—only 25 percent say the U.S. should stay out of it entirely. Among all Republicans, 63 percent share the view that Israel’s war is America’s, while just 21 percent want the U.S. to remain uninvolved.
Among MAGA Republicans, those numbers rise even further: 67 percent see Israel’s war as America’s and only 20 percent believe the U.S. should sit it out.
When it comes to the duration of the conflict, Trump-aligned Republicans are again the most in favor of pressing on until Iran’s nuclear ambitions are completely dismantled.
A majority of Republicans—52 percent—believe the war should continue until Iran’s nuclear program is destroyed, compared to 33 percent who support pausing attacks to open negotiations. Among MAGA Republicans, support for continuing the war is even higher at 59 percent, with just 28 percent favoring a pause. Among Trump voters overall, 48 percent want to continue the conflict, while 40 percent support halting military action for talks, says the JL Partners poll.
In contrast, the broader public is more inclined toward diplomacy: 53 percent of voters overall support a pause for negotiations, while only 30 percent back continuing the war until Iran’s program is eliminated.
Nonetheless, Trump’s approval on foreign policy remains weak overall, with 42 percent of voters approving and 57 percent disapproving in the Fox poll—virtually unchanged since April. Echelon shows a slightly better split, with 47 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval. His ratings remain stronger on immigration and border security, but slump when it comes to inflation and the economy.
What People Are Saying
Fox News Republican pollster Daron Shaw said: “The increased sense that Iran constitutes a threat is real, but it also reflects the unique timing and circumstances surrounding this poll. The poll was in the field as images of Iranian missiles falling on Tel Aviv dominated television and the internet—the immediacy and clarity of the conflict undoubtedly contributes to how voters gauge what is at risk.”
James Johnson, Co-Founder of J.L. Partners, said: “This poll makes clear: the
Republican base is not isolationist. They back forceful U.S. and Israeli action to stop Iran, and see Israel’s fight as America’s fight.”
What Happens Next
Trump is expected to continue consultations with security and defense officials in the coming days, weighing the risks of direct military involvement against Iran.
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