Opinion Today
March 18, 2026
Americans suddenly are more likely to see the economy getting worse David Montgomery, YouGov With gas prices rising due to the U.S. conflict with Iran, Americans are quickly becoming more negative about the U.S. economy. This week's Economist / YouGov Poll finds 59% of Americans say the economy is getting worse, in response to a question asked almost every week since 2017. That's the highest share to say this on any Economist / YouGov Poll since October 2022, and is up from 53% last week.
Trump is losing support from Independents over Iran David Montgomery, YouGov A majority of Americans continue to disapprove of how Donald Trump is doing his job as president, in line with trends from the past few months. In this week's Economist / YouGov Poll, 37% of Americans strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's job handling, while 56% disapprove — a net job approval of -18 after rounding.
Most Americans support proof of citizenship to vote, but limiting use of mail-in ballots is more divisive David Montgomery, YouGov Americans are divided over whether non-citizens voting in U.S. elections is a serious problem, but most Americans strongly or somewhat support requiring proof of citizenship in order to register to vote, this week's Economist / YouGov Poll finds.
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7 in 10 Americans want the government to spend more to lower healthcare costs Ipsos New Axios/Ipsos American Health Index finds bipartisan support for increased federal spending to cut healthcare costs; trust in government over childhood vaccine requirements has eroded
Axios-Ipsos poll: Americans distrust Trump vaccine policies Adriel Bettelheim and Margaret Talev, Axios Just 6 in 10 Americans now trust the government's vaccination recommendations for children, according to the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index, reflecting the dramatic erosion of public trust during the tenure of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Iran further erodes Trump’s standing amid cost concerns Eli Yokley, Morning Consult Trump’s approval rating is stuck in negative territory: Voters are 11 points more likely to disapprove than approve of his job performance, marking a 3-point decline since before his strikes on Iran. Democrats hold a narrow 3-point edge over Republicans in Congress on the economy (44% to 41%), part of a broader erosion of Republican advantages across the issue trust board. March 2026 Verified Voter Omnibus Echelon Insights • Donald Trump’s job approval stands at 41% approve, 57% disapprove • Democrats lead on the 2026 generic congressional ballot, 49-44 • Voters disapprove of the US military operations against Iranian government, 49-43, while 64% say Iran poses a very or somewhat serious threat to the US • Voters say AI will be helpful rather than hurtful on balance for humanity, 39-36, with 25% unsure
Perceptions And Concerns About Trump’s War Against Iran Maryann Cousens & Melissa Toufanian, Navigator Research This Navigator Research report covers the latest views of Trump’s military operation against Iran, the impacts on costs at home, and concerns over being bogged down in another lengthy, costly foreign war.
Poll shows the US is divided on the Iran War but united on its goals Douglas Schoen and Carly Cooperman (Schoen Cooperman Research), The Hill Two weeks into the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, Americans are divided on the military operation itself, yet far more united about the threat Iran poses and the goals of the war. That is the central finding from new polling conducted by our firm, Schoen Cooperman Research on behalf of the Israel on Campus Coalition. How Policy Risks Affect Retirement Planning for Older Americans Alicia H. Munnell and Gal Wettstein, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Planning for retirement is complicated by uncertainty over Social Security, Medicare, taxes, federal debt, and inflation. These policy risks have been rising since the start of 2025, as captured by a new survey of investors nearing, or in, retirement. The survey finds people are more concerned about their future; and they cite the prospects of Social Security cuts and high inflation as most harmful.
Democratic Backsliding Reaches Western Democracies, with U.S. Decline “Unprecedented” V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg Democratic backsliding is now happening in well-established democracies. Democracy in the USA is deteriorating at unprecedented speed, and media and journalists are increasingly targeted across the world. This, and more, is reported in the latest Democracy Report from the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg.
Visualizing the erosion of American democracy Philip Bump American democracy is still more robust than most other countries, including neighbors like Mexico. But while democracies in Europe have also seen backsliding, the extent of the U.S.’s recent shift is exceptional. Iran war shows how poll questions can distort public opinion in trying to report it Natalie Jackson (GQR Research), National Journal [unlocked] Voters' views are fluid, especially on emerging issues and complex legislation. Everyone but Trump Understands What He’s Done Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic [unlocked] Allied leaders know that any positive gesture they make will count for nothing. Rift Widens Among Republicans Over Israel and War in Iran Richard Fausset and Ken Bensinger, The New York Times [unlocked] As the U.S.-Israel-Iran war continues, conservatism’s most famous figures are in a rhetorical brawl over America’s role. How Much Pain Is Trump Really Willing to Endure? Jonathan Lemire and Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic [unlocked] The outcome of the war in Iran may come down to just how much risk he can take. The TACO trade meets the fog of war Nate Silver, Silver Bulletin Counting on Trump to "always chicken out" is a risky strategy. And war in the Middle East is a different game. Most Americans support requiring photo ID to vote. Democrats in Congress reject it. Sahil Kapur, NBC News As Republicans highlight the most popular policy in the SAVE America Act, Democrats say its other provisions would disenfranchise U.S. citizens and that photo ID rules are unnecessary. Jim Crow Redux: The “SAVE America” Act Is a Poll Tax, Plain and Simple Norman J. Ornstein, The New Republic Requiring people to shell out for passports and birth certificates to “solve” a problem that doesn’t exist is a modern-day version of what they used to do down South. It must be stopped. The “Save Trump Act” Markschulman’s Substack When All Else Fails…Disrupt the Midterms! Trump’s Gutting of Election Security Fuels Worries for Midterms Adam Sella, The New York Times [unlocked] Officials say the crippling of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which the president himself created, could open elections to cyberattacks and foreign influence. Trump’s Tariffs Will Loom Large Over the Midterms, Whatever Happens in Iran Shawn Donnan, Bloomberg Businessweek [unlocked] US history shows that duties have a way of boomeranging back on their backers at election time. Trump’s tariffs were supposed to help manufacturers. But instead, they’re hurting Josh Boak, The Associated Press Jay Allen is a fan of President Donald Trump, and voted for him on the belief that the Republican would cut taxes and trim regulations, helping his manufacturing business in northeast Arkansas. But the tariffs at the core of Trump’s economic agenda have wreaked havoc on his company. Allen’s experience embodies a growing body of evidence that the tariffs that Trump said would help American factories are, in fact, squashing many of them. Connecting the dots on the economy David Winston (The Winston Group), Roll Call The newest economic development facing the White House is the slowdown in job creation that cannot be ignored. ‘Surveil, Govern and Control’: What Could Go Wrong? Thomas B. Edsall, The New York Times [unlocked] As artificial intelligence — led by Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, OpenAI and Anthropic — drives to become the nation’s dominant industry, one of the most pressing questions is how technology is affecting, if not supplanting, politics, potentially diminishing the centrality of elections.
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PLAYLIST
Could the Iran war lead to WWIII? Fresh Air With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, policy expert Karim Sadjadpour says the war in Iran is becoming increasingly complicated: "I don't think President Trump ... understood what he was getting into." Sadjadpour spoke with Terry Gross about the historical context of the conflict, the four priorities for the U.S. government, and the likelihood of escalation to WWIII.
Enten: Key allies ‘absolutely despise’ US action in Iran CNN CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten breaks down international support for US military action in Iran as President Donald Trump is asking for other countries to help secure shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.
'Apparently I’m an idiot’: Three-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania sounds off on Iran war NBC News Senior National Politics Reporter Jon Allen speaks to Pennsylvania voters as they react to the war in Iran and rising gas prices.