Older Republicans tend to have a favorable view of Israel, but this sentiment doesn’t carry over to younger Republicans or Democrats. A recent Pew Research poll reveals that 60% of American adults hold a negative view of Israel, a figure that rises to 80% among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, while 41% of Republicans feel the same way. Interestingly, among Republicans aged 18 to 49, 57% view Israel unfavorably. In contrast, only 24% of those aged 50 and older share that opinion.
For Democrats, the viewpoints regarding Israel are somewhat aligned across age groups. The poll showed that 84% of Democrats under 49 and 76% over 50 have negative views of Israel. It’s worth mentioning that the research grouped independent voters with their party affiliations, rather than analyzing them separately.
This considerable shift in opinion follows a New York Times report that alleged Israeli leaders misled President Trump into attacking Iran by presenting a plan he succinctly termed a “farce.”
Mike McKenna, a Republican strategist, remarked that these findings weren’t entirely surprising. He reflected on how far removed the current generation is from the initial formation of Israel and expressed that the nation has transformed into a significant military power. He suggested that this may affect how people, especially the youth, view Israel, particularly in light of America’s prolonged involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.
McKenna also highlighted growing skepticism among younger Americans about the wars in the region, questioning their outcomes. A Pew poll corroborates this; it found that 58% of Republicans aged 18 to 49 expressed low confidence in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s capacity to manage global affairs appropriately. Conversely, 66% of older Republicans exhibited a more favorable outlook.
In March 2025, the Pew poll indicated a shift, showing that 53% of Americans had a favorable view of Israel, but by the following year, that number fell significantly. In 2022, before Hamas’ unexpected attack on Israel, 55% of Americans viewed the country positively.
The polling was conducted by SSRS, which surveyed 3,507 randomly selected adults across the U.S. from March 23 to March 29. The margin of error for the 2026 Pew survey stands at ±1.9 percentage points. Additionally, a recent Democracy Institute poll showed that 51% of Republican candidates and 74% of Democrats believed Israel wields considerable influence over U.S. foreign policy.
