Voters Sour on Trump Administration's Iran War Strategy, Poll Finds

A significant majority of voters believe the Trump administration lacks a clear strategy for ending the ongoing war with Iran, and a growing number perceive the conflict as detrimental to U.S. safety, according to a new Fox News national poll. The survey reveals that 70% of voters think the administration does not have a defined plan for conflict resolution, a sentiment shared by 95% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 43% of Republicans.

Furthermore, 47% of voters now believe the conflict will ultimately make the United States less safe, an increase from 39% in April. Conversely, 32% think the war will enhance national security, while 20% see no change. Concerns about safety have notably risen among white voters, those under 45, and independents.

The poll also found that 60% of voters consider the U.S. decision to engage in military action against Iran to be incorrect, a figure that has widened the gap to 23 percentage points from 17 points in June. This growing opposition to the war has been observed across most demographic groups, with particularly notable shifts among Hispanic voters, individuals under 30, moderates, and those aged 65 and over.

Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who co-conducts the Fox News Poll, noted that the public typically rallies behind a president during foreign policy crises. However, he pointed to two differentiating factors in this instance: President Trump's lack of consistent and forceful advocacy for the war and the absence of U.S. troops on the ground, both of which he suggested are significant for public opinion.

President Trump's overall job performance is rated at 39% approval and 61% disapproval. His foreign policy ratings stand at 37% approval, a low for his second term and just one point above his first-term low of 36% in September 2019. When asked about the most pressing issues facing the country, only 4% of voters cited Iran, with foreign policy in general mentioned by a mere 1%. The cost of living remains the dominant concern for 34% of voters.

The poll also indicated a shift in perceived foreign policy competence, with 50% of voters believing Democrats are better equipped to handle foreign policy compared to Republicans, who were favored by 40%. This marks a reversal from the previous midterm cycle when Republicans held a 6-point advantage in trust on foreign policy matters in September 2022.

Regarding other international conflicts, 48% of voters express siding more with Israelis than Palestinians in the Gaza conflict, a decrease from 54% in June and significantly down from 68% at the conflict's inception in October 2023. Support for Israel has seen its sharpest decline among women, Hispanic voters, those under 45, college graduates, and Democrats since last year. Republican support for Israel has also fallen by 10 percentage points.

On the issue of Ukraine, 55% of voters favor continued U.S. financial aid to combat Russia, a figure largely unchanged over the past two years. Democrats largely support aid to Ukraine, while Republicans and independents are divided.

In anticipation of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the U.S., the poll found that more than twice as many voters view Trump as not tough enough on China (45%) as those who believe he is too tough (20%). Thirty percent believe his approach is appropriate. This sentiment is shared across the political spectrum, with Democrats (44%), Republicans (47%), and independents (44%) largely agreeing that Trump needs to be tougher on China. Among Republicans, 43% believe his current approach is about right.

The Fox News survey was conducted September 11-14, 2026, with 1,211 registered voters nationwide. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points.