Voter Opinion Split on Iran Military Action Despite Security Concerns

A majority of American voters consider Iran a genuine national security threat, yet they remain sharply divided on the current U.S. military operations against the country, according to a new Fox News national survey.

The poll reveals that 61% of voters view Iran as “a real national security threat” to the United States, a consistent finding in most Fox News surveys since 2006. The only significant deviation occurred last June when concerns peaked at 73% just before the U.S. launched Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Despite widespread agreement on Iran’s threat level, public support for the current military campaign remains evenly split, with 50% approving and 50% disapproving of the action.

The survey also found that 51% of voters believe President Trump’s handling of Iran has made the United States less safe, up from 43% who held this view last July. Only 29% feel his approach has improved national security. For comparison, when the same question was asked about former President Biden in 2023, 50% said his Iran policy had decreased safety, while just 12% reported feeling safer.

Partisan divisions on these issues are stark. More than 80% of Republicans approve of the current military operations, though only 60% believe the president’s Iran strategy is enhancing national security. Conversely, nearly 80% of Democrats disapprove of the strikes and believe Trump’s actions have made America less secure. Independent voters largely align with Democratic sentiment, with approximately 60% sharing these views.

Military veterans show stronger support for the operations, with 59% approving of the strikes compared to 39% disapproving. Veterans are also more divided on the security question than the general population, with 37% saying Trump’s approach has increased safety versus 44% who believe it has decreased security.

The United States began joint military operations with Israel against Iran on Saturday morning under the codename “Operation Epic Fury.” All survey interviews were conducted after the bombing campaign began, from Saturday through Monday.

In broader terms, Trump’s foreign policy performance faces significant disapproval, with 60% expressing disapproval compared to 40% approval—a 20-point deficit. Even within his own party, 21% of Republicans disapprove of his foreign policy approach.

The president’s overall job approval stands at 43%, with 57% disapproving—figures largely unchanged from previous months.

International perceptions of the United States have slightly improved since the Biden administration. While 56% of voters believe the country is less respected internationally than four years ago, this represents an improvement from the 61% who felt the same during Biden’s tenure. Currently, 30% believe America is more respected globally, up from 23% under Biden and 29% during Trump’s first term.

Two-thirds of voters express concern that Trump’s use of executive orders and circumvention of Congressional approval might permanently alter the country’s system of checks and balances. This mirrors concerns expressed about Barack Obama during his presidency.

Looking back at last June’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, voters remain divided, with 30% viewing them as mostly successful, 31% considering them a failure, and 37% saying it’s too early to judge—assessments largely unchanged since July 2025.

The Fox News survey was conducted from February 28 to March 2, 2026, with a sample of 1,004 registered voters and a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.