YouGov has run multiple polls to gauge Americans' response to U.S. warplanes bombing nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday. Here are some of our findings from two polls conducted within 24 hours after the attack:
Initial public sentiment leans negative
We found 35% of U.S. adults strongly or somewhat approve of the U.S. bombing nuclear sites in Iran, while 46% strongly or somewhat disapprove and 19% aren't sure.
Most Democrats disapprove of the bombings (16% approve / 70% disapprove), as do a majority of Independents (27% / 51%). Most Republicans approve (68% / 13%).
In this initial survey, 36% of Americans had heard a lot about the bombings, 43% had heard a little, and 17% had heard nothing at all. (Less than 24 hours later, another survey found that 51% had heard a lot and only 8% had heard nothing.) Those who had heard less about the bombings were less likely to approve of them than were those who had heard more.
The lower approval for the U.S. bombing among those who have heard less about it is especially pronounced among Republicans. 85% of Republicans who had heard a lot about the U.S. bombings strongly or somewhat approved of them, compared to 68% of Republicans who had heard a little and 42% of Republicans who hadn't heard anything. By net approval — the percentage who approve minus the percentage who disapprove — Republicans who had heard a lot register +75, compared to +57 for Republicans who had heard a little and +15 among those who had heard nothing.
Republican support for the bombing is a new development
Before the bombings, an Economist / YouGov Poll of U.S. adult citizens found only 23% of Republicans thought the U.S. military should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, while 53% said the U.S. shouldn't. Immediately after the bombings, 69% of Republicans approved of the attacks.
A poll conducted 24 hours after the first post-attack survey found that overall approval had changed little, with a slight increase in Republican support.
Americans expect Iran to strike back
56% of Americans say Iran definitely (21%) or probably (35%) has the capability to retaliate for the attacks on U.S. soil. And 54% of Americans expect Iran will definitely or probably retaliate against targets in the U.S.
Democrats are more likely to expect Iranian retaliation in the U.S. (63%) than Independents (51%) or Republicans (48%), but even Republicans are more likely than not to expect retaliation in the U.S.
Even more Americans say it's likely that Iran will retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East: 71% of Americans say this, including 78% of Democrats, 70% of Independents, and 64% of Republicans.
Only 25% of Americans say the U.S. bombing of Iran will make the U.S. safer, while 44% say it will make the U.S. less safe.
Most Americans who strongly approve of the bombings expect the attack to make the U.S. safer, and most who strongly disapprove expect it to make the U.S. less safe. Among those with less strong opinions about the attack, those who somewhat disapprove are more likely to say it will make the U.S. less safe (64%) than those who somewhat approve are to say it will make the U.S. safer (40%).
Majorities think the bombings diminished Iran's nuclear capacity — and will lead to a wider war
Most Americans think the bombings diminished Iran's capacity to make nuclear weapons by a lot (31%) or a little (28%). Only 13% think they didn't diminish Iran's nuclear capacity at all.
A majority of Republicans say the bombings diminished Iran's nuclear capacity by a lot (56%), while just 4% say they didn't diminish it (4%). Democrats are split on the question (17% vs. 20%, with another 32% saying Iran's capacity is diminished a little).
But most Americans also think the bombings are unlikely to be a one-off attack. 66% of U.S. adults say the bombings are somewhat likely (33%) or very likely (34%) to lead to a wider war with Iran. More Americans who disapprove of the bombings than those who approve think a wider war is likely.
— Carl Bialik contributed to this article
See the results of these polls:
- U.S. planes bombed nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday. How much have you heard about this before now?
- Do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. bombing nuclear sites in Iran?
- How likely do you think it is that the U.S.'s bombing of nuclear sites in Iran will lead to a wider war between the U.S. and Iran?
- Do you think that in the long run, the U.S. bombing of Iran will make the U.S....?
- How much do you think the U.S.'s bombing of nuclear sites in Iran diminished Iran's capacity to make nuclear weapons in the future?
- Do you think Iran has the capability to retaliate against targets in the U.S.?
- Do you think Iran will retaliate against targets in the U.S.?
- Do you think Iran will retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East?
Methodology: One Daily Questions survey was conducted online on June 21 - 22, 2025 among 2,413 U.S. adults. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, U.S. census region, and political party. The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 2%.
A second Daily Questions survey was conducted online on June 22, 2025 among 3,007 U.S. adults. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, U.S. census region, and political party. The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 2%.
Image: Getty (Pool)
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