Almost two-thirds of Americans believe President Donald Trump might deploy U.S. ground troops to combat Iran, according to a recent national survey.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll taken from March 17-19 revealed that 55% of respondents do not support sending ground forces for operations against Iran. This comes as U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran are approaching three weeks in duration.
In the survey results, only 7% favored a large-scale ground assault by U.S. troops, while 34% backed a limited invasion led by special forces. Interestingly, among Republicans, 14% supported broader military operations, yet 63% opposed special forces being involved on the ground. Additionally, 21% of Republicans were against sending any U.S. ground troops at all.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not dismiss the idea of U.S. ground troop involvement during a Pentagon briefing earlier this month. Meanwhile, when questioned about military plans, Trump stated, “We’re not going to send troops anywhere.” He added, “If I were, I would never tell you.”
Recent military actions by the U.S. and Israel have led to the deaths of significant Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, alongside substantial damage to Iran’s military forces. In retaliation, Iran has launched attacks targeting Israel and neighboring countries, escalating tensions in the region.
Iran has also been striking energy installations across several Persian Gulf nations, causing significant disruption to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which affects about 20% of the global oil supply and is contributing to rising fuel prices in the U.S. and beyond.
In most national polls since the airstrikes commenced in late February, opposition to these military actions has generally overshadowed support. The Reuters/Ipsos poll confirms this trend, showing that 37% of respondents are in favor of engaging Iran militarily, while 59% disapprove.
There’s a clear partisan divide: 77% of Republicans are in favor of this strategy, contrasting sharply with only 6% of Democrats and 28% of independents who support it.
