Name: Iran war: Enten unpacks the 'confusing polling picture' in US
Uploaded: 2026-03-08T23:01:43.000Z
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Want to take a closer look at what the American public is thinking about what's going on in Iran.

With us now seen in chief data analyst Harry yet.

Yes, John, look, we've gotten a bunch of polling back since the US Military started its most recent action against Iran.

And you know what, it's a bit of a confusing picture.

It doesn't seem like one at first, but it's a bit of a confusing polling picture.

Let's just take a look right now at the overall average of polls, ok?

And you take an average of cnn, Fox, Ipsos and NBC polls.

What you see here is you see that the clear majority of Americans disapprove of the action we're talking about.

51% of Americans disapproved, just 40% approve.

And I should note all these polls, all these polls came in between February 28th.

They started on February 28th and then ended by March 3rd.

Now you see this, you see this 11 point split, but

this actually hides some major disagreements between the different polls.

That's the approval rating minus the disapproval rating.

And this is the net approval rating for U.S. military action in Iran.

CNN, our own CNN poll shows that the net approval rating is -18 points.

Very similar to the Ipsos polling at -16 points.

But then all of a sudden you see the NBC News polling and look at this, you see it at minus 11 points, getting a little bit more popular.

And then you'll look at the latest FOX News poll and that's it, a split, a dead even split at zero points.

So yes, on average the polling is showing that the move is unpopular, but

that actually hides major disagreements between the polling and I should note the polling questions pretty similar and all conducted at about the same time.

But there's another reason why, John, you should take these initial numbers right, with a grain of salt because I want to go back to the June airstrikes, right?

NET approval rating, U.S. military action in Iran after the June airstrikes.

Initially in late June, look at this underwater at minus 8 points.

After the military option was deemed successful, it became much more popular.

Now we're just going to have to wait and see with this current military action in Iran how exactly the polling shifts.

But right now I would really take the numbers with a grain of salt and keeping in mind that there's big polling disagreement and the numbers may change down the road.

John back, Harry, thank you very much for that.

Yes, polling does often track what people think is a successful or not successful operation.

One of the more interesting splits that we're seeing in the polling when it comes to the US Military action in Iran is that between the overall public and those who are either currently or have served in the military.

Take a look at this Fox News poll that came out the during the past week.

Net approval rating of the current US Military action against Iran.

Overall Fox News shows a dead even split.

But look at those who served in the military.

Significantly higher support for the US military action currently going on in Iran at plus 20 points.

That should not be so much of a surprise because take a look at how they view Trump's foreign policy overall.

Again, look at those who served in the US Military versus overall.

If you look at Trump's foreign policy overall, the net approval rating on that per Fox News, those who served in the military, they like what's going on on average.

Look at that, the net approval rating +8 points for Trump's foreign policy.

But look at those overall way, way down there at minus 20 points.

We're talking about a nearly 30 point gap between those who served in the military and overall.

And this split when it comes to those who served in the military and overall dates back to Trump's elections, all the way back to 2016.

Those who served in the military, Trump won them by, get this, 31 points.

Kamala Harris actually won all other voters by two points.

And that means Johnny Berman, that means that Donald Trump only won in 2024 because of support from those who served in the military.

Whatever happened to Trump when he ran on the campaign trail said that, you know, the whole MAGA thing, remember that make America great again.

It wasn't really supposed to be going after country after country after country.

I don't recall hearing that much on the campaign trail.

But just look at the number of targets, military actions in Trump's second term.

There is, of course, Venezuela, Nigeria, Somalia.

And that's actually why I think he's getting a lot of support from Republicans on the Hill because this is this traditional neocon conservative belief of American interventionalism.

And he's doing exactly that and going past beyond just your more than that neocon?

I think a lot of people will be surprised a year ago thinking to see this, what's happening right now?

While the Trump administration is committed to the war with Iran, many Americans are not.

Demonstrators gathered in New York City, Washington D.C.

los Angeles and San Francisco this weekend, calling on the White House to end the military action and pursue diplomacy with Iran.

Instead, some Iranian American demonstrators shared their fears of a prolonged war, worried the conflict would drag on indefinitely.

Many voice their relief that the Islamic regime and Ayatollah leadership may finally be at its end.

But others insist that any political change in Iran must come from the Iranian people themselves to be sustainable.

The largest community of Iranian expatriates in the United States is rallying in Los Angeles.

So, Julia, how are people there reacting to the conflict?

Well, John, like any diaspora, there is a fragmentation of ideas.

But today, what we saw here in the streets of Los Angeles was a celebration, truly.

People are thanking President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel for these strikes in Iran.

They see this as a pivotal moment, an opportunity for the regime to fall.

But we have spoken to a variety of people here in what is known as Terrangelis.

Almost the same time I'm fighting against this regime.

I was an anti war activist, so that's very complicated.

Of course, from the killing of the Khamenei, I am excited.

I cannot hide my feeling war with no harmony is better for everyone.

But at the same time, I don't like the war.

So you would rather see this be wrapped up and be done now?

Declare the Victorian League President Trump, although we're thankful to have it, probably took him a little bit a long time and the Iranians lost a lot of lives.

I never had so much mixed feeling in my life that I have right now because on one level, I want my country to be free and liberated.

On another level, I am very sad when I see so many people of my country are still.

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Iran war: Enten unpacks the 'confusing polling picture' in US

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