WASHINGTON: As the war with Iran enters its fourth week, new national surveys show growing public unease — a shift that could carry political consequences as the United States approaches the November 3 midterm elections.

Two major polls released on March 25 show that a majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict and question whether the war will make the world safer.

The Pew Research Centre survey found that 61pc disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the conflict, while 37pc approve. On whether the initial decision to use military force was right, 59pc said it was the wrong decision, compared to 38pc who said it was right.

By nearly two-to-one, more Americans say the military action is “not going well” (45pc) than say it is going “extremely” or “very well” (25pc).

Meanwhile, President Trump said Iran had allowed eight Pakistani-flagged oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, followed by two more vessels, describing the move as a test of authority. “They said, to show you the fact that we’re real and solid and we’re there,” he said, adding that he believed the “present” demonstrated the United States was “dealing with the right people”.

Pew Research says 61pc Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict; 59pc insist war decision was wrong, only 38pc support it

The remarks come even as opinion polls suggest significant scepticism at home over the broader direction of the conflict.

A Quinnipiac University national poll of registered voters found that 42pc believe the war with Iran will make the world less safe, compared to 35pc who say it will make it safer and 20pc who believe it will make no difference.

“Is this war in the best interest of the world’s welfare? There is a yawning divide between Democrats and Republicans, and independents are clearly skeptical,” said Tim Malloy, polling analyst at Quinnipiac University.

The partisan divide is stark. Among Democrats, just 2pc think the war will make the world safer, while 74pc believe it will make it less safe. Among Republicans, 79pc say it will make the world safer, with only 8pc saying it will make it less safe. Independents lean negative, with 49pc saying it will make the world less safe and 25pc saying it will make it safer.

Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict (90pc) and say the US made the wrong decision in striking Iran (88pc).

In contrast, about seven-in-ten Republicans approve of his handling (69pc) and believe the decision was right (71pc).

With control of Congress at stake in November, the polling suggests that the conflict could become a significant political issue if public dissatisfaction deepens. Midterm elections in the United States often function as a referendum on the sitting president’s performance.

Policy analysts are also urging restraint. In an analysis released on Thursday, the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs advised US policymakers “to pursue strategies that carefully manage escalation and reduce the risks of a wider regional and global crisis.” It added that “by combining multilateral engagement and strengthening regional security partnerships, the US could minimise the risks of a long-term ground war and strategic overextension”.

The Stimson Centre warned that Israel’s assassination campaign may have complicated efforts to end the conflict. “Israel’s assassination campaign has led to the promotion of IRGC old-timers who are likely to prove more hostile to the US and less nimble in negotiating an end to the war,” it noted, adding that Iran’s new leaders “may strike a hard bargain”.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported “an uptick in combined force strikes targeting Iranian defence industrial sites”, following reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defence Forces to destroy as much of Iran’s arms industry as possible within 48 hours.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026