Protests May No Longer Be a Good Test of Public Opinion

Trump’s war in Iran isn’t inspiring the same anti-war movement that the Iraq war did. Why?

war protest

Anti-war protests this year have been lumped in with broader public demonstrations against the Trump administration. Bill Clark/AP Bill Clark/AP

Public polls show Americans broadly disapprove of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.

Yet, six months into a war the Trump administration initially said would last only a matter of weeks, there have been few national protests of the scale seen for other major conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the Iraq War and the war in Gaza.

Some Democrats say that’s because of a deliberate strategy the Trump administration has taken to minimize political repercussions both in Congress and with the public.