CBS News poll finds Iran conflict marked by feelings of uncertainty; most say it’s more difficult than Trump expected
Throughout the months of the conflict in Iran, the public continues to express three main views:
- A perceived lack of clarity about what is happening day to day in the Strait of Hormuz.
- There there is there are plenty of important terms that the US could seek, as we are now in conflict.
- The conflict is not going well.
So today, as the fighting rages again, many Americans choose “uncertain” and “frustrated” as the top ways to describe their personal feelings about it.
In any case, most now expect the conflict to last months or years longer, with a large majority saying it has been more difficult than the Trump administration expected.
The stated public objectives have always been consistent.
It is still important to many Americans to open the Strait of Hormuz (especially as fuel prices rise at home), stop Iran’s nuclear program and prevent Iran from threatening the region.
But that doesn’t mean people think it will be easy, and most suspect the conflict will last months or years longer.
Given that, the choice to end the war – as opposed to seeking more concessions from Iran – remains a majority opinion.
But after the armistice ended, relatively few today want the US to end it now, a sentiment driven mainly by Republicans. In particular, they say they support the president in ending last month when he announced a cooperation agreement to end the fighting that was reached in June, but today, they say the war should continue after the collapse of that agreement.
Of the one-third who want the US to move forward with more concessions from Iran, the goals listed above are the most important.
It’s also related to age: Younger people are more likely to say the war should end than older Americans over 65.
Uncertainty and experimentation
Here’s part of what causes that uncertainty:
People still do not understand what is happening every day in the Strait of Hormuz, a feeling that has not diminished over the months and weeks.
And for many, President Trump is not helping that public search, as many feel that Mr. Trump makes things sound better than they are.
On balance, perceptions of how the war is progressing have declined over time.
Opinions on who has the advantage right now remain mixed, at best, with many undecided, and a few more saying the US has the advantage now than May.
Against that background, overall action approval remains stable, and negative.
The situation at home
Things in the US look a lot like they did recently – not much better and not much worse.
(The World Cup, equally, makes some people feel better about the country for a while, they say.)
For many, incomes are not keeping up with inflation — and most say the president’s focus is not enough on lowering rates, and too much on costs that are still unpopular (and too much on making changes to DC buildings, too.)
Half of the country says the price of gas is difficult or difficult, although that price has risen slightly now. But communication in this conflict remains, as those most affected are not in favor of military action.
Similarly, the outlook on the economy continues to be very negative, as it has been for many years, but remains stable in recent weeks and is decreasing from its recent levels.
Looking ahead, those who say their income is not keeping up with inflation are more against the new tax.
The president’s approval rating in Iran remains about where it was, and is still lower than his overall approval rating. That overall approval rating is also in the range it has been for months and has reached a point since June.
In all, the public does not see answers in Iran in the entire political arena. The Democrats have no discernible edge on the approach to Iran compared to Trump and the Republicans.
And people who think neither side is doing or are uncertain feel more uncertain about the conflict than society as a whole.
This CBS News/YouGov poll was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,193 US adults interviewed between July 22-24, 2026. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide in terms of gender, age, race, and education, based on the Census American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey, and 2024 polls. The margin of error is ±2.7 points.
Top lines
