Seventy-nine percent of American Jews reported little or no confidence in US President Donald Trump’s ability to handle the Iranian nuclear threat, according to findings released Monday by the Jewish People Policy Institute.
The Voice of the Jewish People Index for April, conducted by JPPI researchers Shmuel Rosner and Noah Slepkov with statistical consultation by Prof. David Steinberg, tracked American Jewish sentiment toward Trump’s efforts to negotiate a new nuclear agreement with Iran.
The survey found that 49% of respondents said they had “no confidence at all” that Trump would do the right thing regarding Iran, while 30% said they had “little confidence.” Some 15% expressed high confidence in Trump’s handling of the issue.
The findings highlighted a significant erosion of trust even among Trump’s own voters. In January, 70% of those who supported Trump said they had high confidence in his handling of Iran. That figure has now dropped to 44%.
The decline in confidence was observed across all ideological groups. When Trump first took office, 30% of American Jews said they had high confidence in his ability to manage the Iranian issue. Today, only 15% share that sentiment.
The survey was conducted before Trump’s latest statement earlier this month, in which he said negotiations between the US and Iran were progressing and that the chances of reaching a deal were increasing. Talks are ongoing, with Trump aiming to conclude them within two months.
Asked about outcomes if negotiations fail, 53% of respondents said they would support a US military strike against Iran. Over a quarter (26%) opposed military action, while 21% said they did not know.
The survey also found strong support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on Iran’s nuclear program. Sixty-one percent said they backed Netanyahu’s demand for the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, compared to 23% who agreed with the US position that limiting Iran’s uranium enrichment would be sufficient.
The Jewish People Policy Institute, which was established by the Jewish Agency for Israel, engages in long-term research and strategic planning on global challenges facing the Jewish people. Its Voice of the Jewish People Index regularly measures political, religious, and ideological attitudes within American Jewry.
JPPI said it would release the full, detailed survey results in the coming weeks.