Poll: Soleimani Assassination Made US Less Safe, Trump «Reckless» on Iran

By Staff, USA Today

Americans by more than 2-1 said the assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani has made the United States less safe, a USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll finds, amid broad concerns about the potential consequences ahead.

A majority of those surveyed, by 52%-34%, called US President Donald Trump's behavior with Iran "reckless."

Americans were divided on the wisdom of the drone strike at the Baghdad airport last week that killed Soleimani and others: 42% supported it, 33% opposed it; 25% said they didn't know what to think. Republicans were much more supportive than Democrats; independents were almost evenly split.

But there was overwhelming agreement – in each case by more than 6-1 – that the attack made it more likely Iran would strike American interests in the Middle East [69%], that there would be terrorist attacks on the American homeland [63%], and that the US and Iran would go to war [62%].

By 52%-8%, those polled said the attack made it more likely that Iran would develop nuclear weapons.

The online survey of 1,005 adults, taken Tuesday and Wednesday, has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The Iranian rocket operation on US bases in Iraq took place near the end of the time the poll was in the field. The survey was completed before Trump addressed the nation Wednesday from the White House.

Gen. Soleimani, 62, who was seen as one of the Iran’s most powerful figures, led the country's Quds Force, which is part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC].

That said, Americans by 55%-24% said they believe the attack that took his life has made the US less safe, rejecting a fundamental argument the Trump administration has made. Just 1 in 10 said it had made the US "much more safe;" three times as many said it had made the nation "much less safe."

Nearly a third of Republicans, who typically support the president, said it had made the nation less safe.

Some saw a domestic political motive behind the attack. By 47%-39%, those surveyed said Trump ordered the assassination of Soleimani in an attempt to divert the focus from his impeachment. There was little support for the idea of delaying the Senate impeachment trial until the crisis with Iran was resolved; that was opposed by 55%-26%.

he Trump administration has faced protests from congressional Democrats that the attack was undertaken without consultation with congressional leaders, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday announced the Democratic-controlled House would vote Thursday to require Trump to wind down military action against Iran within 30 days unless Congress approved. The measure is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

That said, the survey found a receptive landscape for Congress to act. A double-digit majority, 53%-33%, endorsed congressional action that would limit Trump's ability to order military strikes or declare war without legislative approval. Supporters included 78% of Democrats, 26% of Republicans and 54% of independents.

Those surveyed overwhelming opposed US airstrikes on Iranian targets that included cultural and world heritage sites, a threat Trump made and then walked back.