US President Donald Trump has publicly dismissed opinion polls showing majority American opposition to recent US military strikes on Iran, while reiterating his stance that the action was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Two recent surveys indicate significant public disapproval. A CNN poll found 60% of Americans do not support the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran from Saturday, while a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed only 25% approval. However, Trump told the New York Post he does not rely on polling. “I have to do the right thing,” he stated, adding the operation “should have been done a long time ago.”
He framed the decision as non-negotiable, arguing Iran cannot be allowed nuclear weapons. “You cannot let Iran, who’s a nation that has been run by crazy people, have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. He claimed a “real poll” would demonstrate public support for the strikes, officially termed Operation Epic Fury. The president asserted the mission aims to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and also called on Iranian citizens to overthrow their government.
The military action has drawn bipartisan condemnation within the US. Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump of initiating “another endless war in the Middle East.” Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky also criticized the move, stating it contradicts Trump’s “America First” campaign slogan.
The strikes mark a significant escalation in US-Iran tensions and represent a return to direct military engagement in the Middle East for the Trump administration. While the president cites long-term national security imperatives, the immediate political fallout includes a notable rift with both Democratic leaders and some factions of his own party. The disconnect between the White House’s strategic rationale and public sentiment, as measured by major polls, underscores the domestic political challenges surrounding the decision. The situation remains dynamic, with further developments in both the military operation and the domestic political response anticipated.
