Gas Prices Are Americans’ Top Iran War Concern

Key Points:

• A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late March 2026 shows Americans are most concerned about higher gas prices resulting from the U.S. military action against Iran, with majorities also worried about ground troop deployment, military casualties, terrorist attacks, and war expansion beyond the Middle East.
• Americans are divided on whether the U.S. is doing enough to prevent civilian casualties in the Iran conflict, with 41% saying yes and 45% saying no; Republicans tend to believe the U.S. is doing enough, while Democrats largely disagree, though there is broad consensus that Iran is not doing enough.
• Confidence in President Donald Trump's ability to make sound foreign policy decisions regarding Iran is low overall at 35%, with significant partisan and age divides—most Republicans are confident, especially older ones, while Democrats and younger Republicans show much less confidence.
• Views on the impact of U.S. military action on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the Iranian people are mixed; Americans are split on whether the conflict will make Iran more or less likely to develop a nuclear weapon, and more expect the Iranian people to be worse off than better off after the conflict.
• Concerns about the Iran war vary by party and age, with Democrats more worried about the conflict expanding beyond the Middle East and the war’s duration, while Republicans show more confidence in Trump’s policymaking, particularly if they are less concerned about rising gas prices.