By Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus
Updated on: March 22, 2026 / 9:23 PM EDT / CBS News
When gauging a war, Americans consider both overseas goals and the impact at home. A CBS News/YouGov poll finds many want the U.S. to stop Iran’s nuclear program, ensure the Iranian people are free, and—now that the conflict is underway—say it would be unacceptable to leave the Iranian regime in power afterward. At the same time, most want the conflict to end as quickly as possible.
Rising gas prices are fueling pessimism about the U.S. economy. A growing share of Americans report noticing higher prices, and most say the conflict will weaken the economy in the short term. Views that the U.S. will enter a recession are trending up, while current assessments of the economy have slipped. Most do not think Americans should be willing to pay more for gas during the conflict.
Evaluating the war
Most Americans say the conflict with Iran is not going well. Those who disapprove feel the Trump administration has not clearly explained U.S. goals, see few near-term payoffs for U.S. safety or the economy, and are uncertain about how long it will last. From a list of possible objectives, the plurality’s top priority is to see the war end quickly, though stopping Iran’s nuclear program and supporting Iranian freedom are also rated important.
Most respondents say ending the conflict with the Iranian regime still in power would be unacceptable. Fewer than half think the administration has clearly explained its goals. Americans are split on whether U.S. ground troops will be necessary. Only about a third believe the conflict will make the U.S. safer in the long term. Most expect the conflict to last months or years, and nearly a third are unsure. Disapproval of U.S. military action has grown since the war began, and the longer people expect it to last, the more likely they are to disapprove. Overall, many view this as a war of choice rather than necessity.
Backing from the president’s base — but less so beyond it
Support for the conflict is concentrated among Trump’s base (MAGA Republicans), who overwhelmingly approve of how he’s handling the situation and express strong personal confidence in him. Approval of the war and perceptions of how it’s going are closely tied to confidence in Trump. MAGA respondents largely say he is doing what he promised on Iran in 2024.
President Trump’s overall approval remains around 40%, consistent with levels before the conflict. He retains strong Republican support but receives lower marks on handling the economy and inflation than on other issues such as immigration. In summary, those who approve of the action are mainly Republicans confident in Trump and inclined to see the conflict as strengthening U.S. position and safety; disapprovers are mostly Democrats and independents who believe it will make the U.S. less safe and expect a longer conflict.
Poll details
This CBS News/YouGov survey interviewed a nationally representative sample of 3,335 U.S. adults between March 17–20, 2026. The sample was weighted to match U.S. adults by gender, age, race, education, and 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.1 points.