US Midterm Elections: 6 In 10 Voters Say Military Action Against Iran ‘Wrong Decision’, Exit Poll Finds

About six in 10 American voters believe the United States made the wrong decision in taking military action against Iran, according to an Associated Press Election Day poll, highlighting public dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict as voters cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections.

The findings come as Trump faces a crucial electoral test, with Republicans seeking to retain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Iran war has emerged as one of the foreign policy issues shaping voter perceptions of the administration, alongside concerns about inflation, fuel prices and the cost of living. However, the survey found that the conflict was not the most important issue for most voters when deciding their congressional vote.

According to the AP poll, roughly one-third of voters said the war with Iran was a crucial factor in their decision to vote for Congress. This was lower than the proportion who identified the cost of living and government corruption as important considerations. The findings suggest that while opposition to the military campaign is widespread, domestic economic concerns continue to weigh heavily on voters' decisions.

Most Voters Disapprove Of US Military Action Against Iran

The poll found that approximately 60 per cent of voters considered the decision to use military force against Iran to be wrong. The Pentagon has estimated that the cost of the conflict has exceeded $47.1 billion, adding to scrutiny of the administration's military spending and its economic consequences.

A separate CBS News exit poll also found that most voters believed the US had made the wrong decision in taking military action against Iran. Opposition extended beyond Democratic voters, with approximately one-quarter of Republicans also expressing the view that the military action was a mistake. CBS reported that voters particularly concerned about affording petrol were more likely to oppose the decision to attack Iran.

The conflict has also affected domestic economic concerns, particularly through higher energy prices. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted shipping through a key global oil transit route, contributing to concerns about fuel costs. Trump has maintained that energy prices will eventually fall, but the issue has remained a source of criticism of his administration during the midterm campaign.

Iran War Adds To Pressure On Trump Ahead Of Midterm Results

The findings add to a broader picture of voter dissatisfaction with Trump's second-term record. Early CBS exit poll results put his approval rating at 38 per cent, while roughly three-quarters of voters said they were dissatisfied with the direction of the country. The economy, democracy and government corruption also featured prominently in voters' responses.

The AP Voter Poll, conducted by SSRS for the Associated Press and other news organisations, combines a pre-election survey of approximately 75,000 people across all 50 states with around 25,000 Election Day interviews at polling locations in 15 states. It is designed to examine who voted and what influenced their choices, rather than replace official vote counts or determine election winners.

The results of the midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress or Democrats gain the numbers to challenge Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency. The poll's findings offer an indication of how voters view the administration's military campaign, although they do not, on their own, establish how much the Iran war influenced the outcome of individual races.