Most Americans believe the United States is not faring well in its conflict with Iran, want the war ended as quickly as possible, and are growing increasingly concerned about its impact on gas prices and the broader economy — but also say it would be unacceptable to leave the Iranian regime standing at the end of it, according to a new CBS News/YouGov survey.

The poll captures a public wrestling with contradictory demands: end the war fast, but don’t end it without results. Most Americans say it’s important to stop Iran’s nuclear program and ensure freedom for the Iranian people, and a majority say allowing the regime to survive would be an unacceptable outcome. At the same time, ending the conflict quickly tops the list of stated priorities, and support for the military action has eroded since it began.

Rising gas prices are casting a shadow over public opinion. A sharp uptick in the number of Americans who say they’ve noticed higher prices at the pump has coincided with a renewed slide in economic confidence, with fears of a recession trending back upward. Most Americans do not believe the war will strengthen the US economy, and a majority say they should not be expected to pay more for gas as a cost of the conflict.

The Trump administration has called for patience, but the poll suggests that message is not landing. Most Americans say the administration has not clearly explained its goals in Iran, and fewer say so now than when the conflict began.

A majority of Americans describe the conflict as a war of choice rather than a war of necessity, a framing that cuts against the administration’s posture. Disapproval of the military action has grown since the war’s start, and the data shows a direct relationship between how long people expect the fighting to last and how much they oppose it — the longer the projected timeline, the higher the disapproval.

Most respondents expect the conflict to drag on for months, if not years. Nearly a third say they simply don’t know how long it will last.

Views on ground troops are closely divided: just under half believe US forces on the ground will ultimately be necessary, regardless of whether they think the war is currently going well.

Only about a third of Americans believe the conflict will make the United States safer even in the long run.

The starkest divide in the poll runs along partisan lines. Trump’s Republican base remains firmly behind both the president and the war. MAGA Republicans overwhelmingly approve of his handling of the situation, express high confidence in his decision-making, and say he is delivering on what he promised during the 2024 campaign regarding Iran. Even among those who expect a long conflict, support within the base holds.

The pattern mirrors what polls have shown on other issues — Republican confidence in Trump remains high and largely resistant to developments on the ground.

Democrats and independents tell a different story. Those disapproving of the war tend to believe it will make the US less safe, expect it to stretch on for months or years, and lack the partisan attachment to the president that drives Republican support.

President Trump’s overall approval rating remains unchanged from before the conflict began, hovering at 40 percent or the low 40s. He continues to draw strong marks from Republicans, though his numbers on the economy and inflation trail his overall approval, and perform comparatively weaker even within his own party than his standing on immigration.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)