How Trump's Approval Rating With Military Has Changed Since Iran War
Summary
A Common Defense survey found that active-duty personnel’s net approval of President Donald Trump fell from +12 in August 2025 to -7 on October 19, after the Iran war began. The article reports a similar decline in approval of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but says the polling does not show what caused the changes.Key Facts
- In the October 19 survey, 49 percent of active-duty personnel disapproved of Trump and 42 percent approved.
- In an August 2025 survey of 440 active-duty personnel, 53 percent approved of Trump and 41 percent disapproved.
- The United States and Israel launched major airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on February 28, starting the war, according to the article.
- The article says a ceasefire negotiated by Trump ran from April 8 to July 8, while periodic clashes and regional tensions continued.
- The share of active-duty members who said veterans and military families are being left behind rose from 65 percent in August 2025 to 75 percent in the later survey.
- Hegseth’s net approval among active-duty personnel fell from +6 in 2025 to -16 in 2026, according to the article.
- The article cites experts who said military-related groups often follow broader shifts in public opinion and that most service members pay limited attention to the defense secretary.
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