Poll: Americans Back Pressure on Iran, Split on War Prospects

CBS News surveyed 2,264 U.S. adults Feb. 25–27, 2026 (MOE ±2.5) just before U.S. airstrikes on Iran. The results show most Americans want the U.S. to pressure or engage Iran’s leadership and there is movement toward supporting military action to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, though views on how long any conflict would last vary. Short-war supporters tended to back action; long-war skeptics tended to oppose it. Many prefer economic or diplomatic pressure rather than regime change by force, and most respondents think Congress must approve any military steps. The president’s Iran messaging rose slightly after the State of the Union but remains not fully satisfactory to a large share of the public. The economy remains viewed skeptically with inflation concerns.