Exclusive: Americans worry conflict with Iran could escalate, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
Some 79% of Americans surveyed said they worried "that Iran may target U.S. civilians in response to the U.S. airstrikes." The three-day poll, which began after the U.S. airstrikes and ended early Monday before Iran said it attacked a U.S. air base in Qatar, showed Americans were similarly concerned about their country's military personnel stationed in the Middle East. Some 84% said they worried in general about the growing conflict.
The poll, which surveyed 1,139 U.S. adults nationwide, underscored deep divisions in America over what Washington should do next and highlighted the political risks faced by Trump, whose presidential approval rating fell to 41%, the lowest level of his current term in office that began in January.
The poll had a 3 percentage point margin of error. The U.S. bombing took place just two days ago and the public's view of the conflict could evolve in the days and weeks ahead.
Only 32% of respondents said they supported continued U.S. airstrikes, compared to 49% who said they were opposed. However, within Trump's Republican Party, 62% backed further strikes and 22% were opposed. Republicans were more deeply divided when asked if they supported an immediate end to U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran, with 42% saying Washington should end its involvement now and 40% opposed to the idea.
Significant majorities of Democrats were opposed to bombing Iran further and in favor of ending the conflict immediately.
Trump ordered the U.S. military to bomb Iran's nuclear sites on Saturday, a dramatic and risky shift in foreign policy following repeated pledges by Trump to avoid military interventions in major foreign wars.
The president's overall approval rating, down 1 percentage point from 42% earlier in the month, has largely held steady in recent months, but is below the 47% reading in a Reuters/Ipsos poll just after he returned to the White House.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
24 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Russian missiles hit Ukrainian army training ground, killing at least three
A Russian missile has hit a Ukrainian army training ground, killing three soldiers and wounding 18 others, authorities said. It is the latest attack to embarrass military officials as they struggle to make up a severe manpower shortage in the more than three-year war. Advertisement Russia's Defence Ministry said Ukraine's 169th training centre near Honcharivske in the Chernihiv region was hit with two Iskander missiles, one armed with multiple submunitions and another with high explosives, killing or wounding about 200 troops. A Russian missile on a residential area in Kharkiv (Anatolii Lysianskyi/AP) Meanwhile, Moscow continued its stepped-up aerial campaign against Ukrainian civilian targets, launching 78 attack drones overnight, including up to eight newly developed jet-powered drones, Ukraine's air force said on Wednesday. At least five people were wounded. The UN mission in Ukraine says there has been a worsening trend in civilian casualties from Russian attacks this year, with 6,754 killed or injured in the first half of 2025 — a 54% increase from the same period in 2024. Since Moscow launched an all-out invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on February 24 2022, at least 13,580 Ukrainian civilians, including 716 children, have been killed, according to the UN. Advertisement In an effort to stop that, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is giving Vladimir Putin until August 8 for peace efforts to make progress or Washington will impose punitive sanctions and tariffs. Western leaders have accused the Russian president of dragging his feet in US-led peace efforts in an attempt to capture more Ukrainian land. Ukrainian forces are mostly hanging on against a grinding summer push by Russia's bigger army, though the Russian Defence Ministry has claimed some recent small advances at places along the 620-mile front line. Ukrainian ground forces acknowledged that a Russian strike hit a military training ground in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, but its casualty report differed widely from the one issued by Moscow. A damaged building in a prison hit by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia region (Olexander Pavlov/AP) A Russian Defence Ministry video showed multiple small explosions apparently caused by a missile with a shrapnel warhead followed by one big blast, apparently from the other one armed with a high-explosive warhead. Advertisement A similar Russian strike occurred last September when two ballistic missiles blasted a Ukrainian military academy and nearby hospital, killing more than 50 people and wounding over 200 others. Ukrainian authorities said a commission led by the head of the Military Law Enforcement Service has been formed to determine whether negligence or misconduct by officials contributed to the casualties in Chernihiv. The attack was the fourth deadly strike in five months on Ukrainian military facilities. The three previous strikes killed at least 46 soldiers and wounded more than 160, according to official reports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill on Tuesday that allows Ukrainian men over the age of 60 to voluntarily sign contracts with the armed forces. The law assists those who want to contribute their experience and skills, particularly in non-combat or specialised roles. Advertisement In February, Ukraine's Defence Ministry began offering new financial and other benefits it hoped would attract men between the ages of 18 and 24 to military service. Men in that age group are exempt from the country's draft, which covers those aged 25 to 60. Ukraine lowered its conscription age from 27 to 25, but that has failed to replenish ranks or replace battlefield losses.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Donald Trump threatens ‘good friend' India with 25 per cent tariff
Donald Trump threatened to slap 'good friend' India with heavy tariffs if it didn't reach a trade deal with the US soon. Mr Trump's deadline for US trade partners to ink agreements ends on 1 August, but New Delhi is yet to finalise a deal. 'India has been a good friend, but India has charged basically more tariffs, almost more than any other country,' the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that this would come to an end. Asked if India would have to pay high tariffs on exports to the US, likely 20 to 25 per cent, Mr Trump said: 'Yeah, I think so.' 'They are going to pay 25 per cent,' CNN quoted Mr Trump as saying. New Delhi and Washington were set to resume trade negotiations next month and a deal was expected in September or October, an Indian government official told Reuters. India is banking on this deal to boost bilateral trade from $190bn to $500bn by 2030. India enjoys a trade surplus of about $46bn with the US. Mr Trump imposed a 26 per cent tariff on Indian goods in April. Although steep, the levy was lower than the total 104 per cent imposed on China, 49 per cent on Cambodia, and 46 per cent on Vietnam. The levy followed earlier tariff hikes, including a 50 per cent duty on Indian steel and aluminium, prompting New Delhi to seek exemptions and concessions. The unnamed Indian government official who spoke with Reuters said the 'talks are progressing well' and that Mr Trump could issue a tariff order in a 'worst-case scenario'. "But we assume it would be temporary measure, considering the five rounds of trade talks that have taken place,' the official said. 'A deal will soon be worked out.' The US president reiterated his claim that he had threatened to stop trading with India and Pakistan to pull the South Asian neighbours from the brink of nuclear war earlier this year. Although the Indian government has sought to project warm ties with Mr Trump, it has publicly objected to his claim. Pakistan, in contrast, has acknowledged Washington's role in mediating a ceasefire after four days of intense fighting. New Delhi previously offered to steeply cut its tariffs on a range of US goods and assured Washington that it was working to ease non-tariff barriers. It has drawn a red line when it comes to its primary economic sectors of agriculture and dairy, however, terming them 'no-go' areas for talks. Indian officials said they were also unwilling to allow US imports of genetically modified soybean or corn products. US trade representative Jamieson Greer said the negotiations with India needed more time, emphasising that Mr Trump wanted good deals, not fast ones. India had shown "strong interest in opening portions of its market" to the US even though its trade policy had long focused on protecting domestic interests, Mr Greer said. India officials said New Delhi was calibrating a strategy amid broader US tariff threats targeting Brics nations over Russian oil purchases and de-dollarisation. Mr Trump earlier this month threatened to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on any nation aligning themselves with the 'anti-American policies' of the Brics group of developing countries, which includes India as one of its most prominent members.
The Herald Scotland
24 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
White House uses viral Jet2 advert song in deportation video
Using the Jet2 sound, The White House wrote: "When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!" Since being posted on July 29, the X post has gained more than 2.8 million views. When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. ✈️🎶 Nothing beats it! — The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 29, 2025 The White House branded 'disgusting' for use of Jet2 viral sound The post has also gained more than 2,700 responses, with some calling the use of the Jet2 sound "disgusting" and "evil". One X user wrote: "This is gross", as another said: "Disgusting video, those are human, and you all animals." A third said: "This is horrible. This country is horrible." While a fourth wrote: "That's actually really sad and inhumane to make fun of them like that!" The Jet2 sound uses which Jess Glynn used in adverts for the brand and has recently become a viral TikTok sound. Trump came into office in January 2025, where he shared promises of starting the largest deportation in the US's history. Recommended Reading In June, ICE ( Immigration and Customs Enforcement) deported more than 15,000 people with aims for 3,000 arrests a day, according to the Metro. Trump has also cancelled temporary legal status for millions of immigrants, meaning they are at risk of deportation. Jet2 and The White House have been contacted for a comment.
