A recent Pew Research survey highlights significant differences in attitudes toward Israel among younger and older Republicans. Conducted in late March, the poll indicates not just the usual ideological divisions between conservatives and liberals but also an increasing disapproval of President Donald Trump’s handling of Israel-related matters.
The data revealed that while most Republicans still view Israel favorably, younger Republicans have the lowest approval ratings compared to other demographics. Among Republicans aged 50 and older, only 24% express slight to very unfavorable views of Israel, while that figure jumps to 57% for those aged 18 to 49, reflecting a notable 33-point gap within the party.
In contrast, Democrats appear more uniformly critical of Israel, with only a four-point difference between younger and older age groups—approximately 80% harbor negative views overall.
The survey found that 60% of all U.S. adults now view Israel unfavorably, an increase from 53% in 2025. When it comes to confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, younger Republicans’ sentiments remain unchanged; only 25% of those aged 18 to 49 feel somewhat or very confident he will act correctly in global affairs, while 58% express little to no confidence.
Among Republicans over 50, a net 66% have confidence in Netanyahu, indicating they are the most trusting of his leadership. On the flip side, more than 75% of Democrats showed little faith in Israeli leaders to act rightly.
The poll also indicates a noticeable divide among Republicans over the significance of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Interestingly, older Republicans are more likely to see the conflict as personally important, with 69% claiming it is a high priority. This figure stands 12 points above that of older Democrats.
However, younger Republicans are less inclined to view the conflict as personally significant, with 41% saying it isn’t important to them—7 points higher than their Democratic counterparts of the same age.
Overall, Republicans exhibit more confidence than Democrats regarding leadership in the U.S.-Israel relationship, with nearly three-quarters expressing some degree of trust in Trump’s management of the situation. In contrast, over 80% of surveyed Democrats report having little to no confidence in Trump’s approach.
The survey was conducted from March 23 to March 29 and included responses from 3,507 adults across the country.
