{"id":301158,"date":"2026-05-01T11:59:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:59:05","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-05-04T09:44:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T13:44:06","slug":"americans-remain-critical-of-trump-administrations-approach-to-iran","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/05\/01\/americans-remain-critical-of-trump-administrations-approach-to-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans remain critical of Trump administration\u2019s approach to Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"The
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln conducts U.S. blockade operations in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two months into the U.S. military conflict with Iran, Americans continue to express significant doubts about how President Donald Trump and his administration are handling the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

About six-in-ten Americans (62%) disapprove of Trump\u2019s handling of the military action against Iran, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. That includes 45% who strongly<\/em> disapprove. Just over a third (36%) approve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These views have held steady since March<\/a>, when 61% disapproved of Trump\u2019s handling of the conflict and 37% approved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly six-in-ten (59%) say that the U.S. made the wrong decision in using military force in Iran, while 38% say this was the right decision. This is also unchanged from the March survey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the share of Americans who say the military action is going not too or not at all well has ticked up. Today, 51% say it\u2019s not going well, compared with 45% a month ago. Roughly two-in-ten (22%) say the military action is going extremely or very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis looks at Americans\u2019 views of the U.S. military action against Iran about two months into the conflict and how they\u2019ve changed over the past month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans\u2019 views of politics and major policy issues<\/a>, including the use of U.S. military force, for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the survey questions used for this analysis<\/a>, the detailed responses<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

The new survey, conducted April 20-26 among 5,103 U.S. adults, also finds that much of the public is uncertain about the Trump administration\u2019s goals in the conflict:<\/p>\n\n\n\n