A new poll released this week shows that most Americans do not support U.S. military involvement in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.
President Trump is expected to make a decision within the next two weeks about whether the United States will join Israel in its efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, according to a statement from the White House on Thursday. While a military path remains under consideration, the administration has indicated that diplomatic efforts are still underway and could potentially prevent a broader escalation in the region.
The latest Economist/YouGov survey, which polled 1,512 adults, found that 60% of Americans oppose military intervention in the conflict. Only 16% support the idea of sending U.S. forces, while 24% are undecided. This general opposition spans across political affiliations: 65% of Democrats, 61% of independents, and 53% of Republicans all said they do not think the U.S. should become militarily involved.
Despite the reluctance to support intervention, many Americans still view Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a serious concern. About 61% of respondents in the same survey said Iran’s nuclear program poses either an immediate and serious threat or a somewhat serious threat to the United States.
When it comes to diplomacy, there is broad support for negotiations. The poll found that a majority of Americans believe the U.S. should try to resolve the issue through diplomatic talks. That includes 58% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans who back the idea of negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.
Another survey, conducted by the Washington Post and released Thursday, reflected similar concerns. In that poll of 1,008 adults, seven out of ten Americans described Iran’s nuclear program as either a serious or somewhat serious threat to U.S. national security. Republican respondents were the most likely to view the issue as an immediate and urgent danger, although concern extended across party lines.