Only one in four Americans approve of the US strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, underscoring a sharp divide between public opinion and President Donald Trump’s forceful rhetoric. While Trump has portrayed the operation as decisive and widely welcomed, even inside Iran, the survey suggests significant domestic unease. Nearly half of respondents said they believe the President is too willing to use military force, raising fresh questions about the political cost of escalation.
Public Unease
The Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,282 US adults found that just 27 per cent approve of the strikes, while 43 per cent oppose them. Support is heavily polarised along party lines: a majority of Republicans back the action, but only a small fraction of Democrats do. Notably, around one in four Republicans said they believe Trump is too ready to deploy military force to advance US interests.
The findings point to a country wary of another prolonged overseas conflict, particularly one that risks wider regional escalation.
Triumphant Rhetoric
The polling stands in stark contrast to the President’s own language. Trump declared that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was dead, branding him “wretched and vile” and blaming him for the deaths of “hundreds and even thousands of Americans”. He claimed that crowds across Iran were celebrating the news and asserted that the country’s entire military command had been eliminated.
According to Trump, senior Iranian figures are now seeking immunity, “calling by the thousands” in an effort to surrender.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 2, 2026
The gap between that confident portrayal and the cautious mood reflected in polling data highlights a familiar tension in American politics: decisive executive action abroad does not automatically translate into unified support at home.
With hostilities continuing and regional tensions mounting, the durability of public backing may prove as consequential as developments on the battlefield.
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