On February 28th, the U.S. and Israel launched widespread air strikes on Iran. How do Americans feel about the conflict?
In the wake of the attack, the country has grappled with mixed feelings. Angus Reid USA conducted an online survey from March 2 to 4, 2026, among a representative, randomized sample of 1,215 American adults to gauge their feelings and expectations about the war.
The study revealed that nearly half of Americans (47%) oppose the air strikes on Iran. Another 32% are supportive, while 21% are unsure. From the standpoint of political affiliation, most people who identify as part of the MAGA base support the attacks (85%). Non-MAGA Republicans are more hesitant, but the majority are still supportive at 56%. The least supportive groups are Democrats and Independents, with just 11% in favor.
Tempered Expectations
As to whether this war will improve the United States’ security situation, the vast majority of Americans are skeptical:
Politically, self-identified MAGA Republicans are most convinced (76%) that military action in Iran will make the U.S. safer, while non-MAGA Republicans are divided between believing it will improve the safety of the U.S. (41%) and not. The majority of Democrats (58%) and Independents (53%) believe the bombing campaign will make the world more dangerous for the U.S.
Insights on Iran
As for life in Iran, just a quarter of Americans believe the country will be better off at the end of the conflict. Another 34% say it will be worse off, and a large portion of people aren’t sure (27%).
Most MAGA Republicans are convinced life in Iran will improve after this war is over (73%), and 44% of non-MAGA Republicans agree. However, significant minorities in that group believe life will be the same (19%) or worse (13%) for Iranians once the military action is over.
Democrats and Independents are less optimistic. Just over half of Democrats (51%) and 46% of Independents believe this war will only worsen the day-to-day lives of the Iranian people.
Drawing a Line
Americans are more divided on supporting boots-on-the-ground combat. The data shows the escalation of sending American servicemen and women into Iran would be poorly received by a majority of Americans (58%) but more welcomed by the MAGA base (66%). Non-MAGA Republicans are split between supporting the deployment of troops to Iran (40%) and opposing it (38%).
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