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In 2026, roughly 70% of Americans say presidents should obtain congressional approval before taking military action. (Adobe Stock)
\nAs U.S. actions in Iran and Venezuela spark debate, partisan divides over presidential war powers hit record levels\u00a0<\/p>\n
As debate over U.S. military action against Iran intensifies, a new report from the Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University finds that most Americans believe presidents should obtain congressional approval before using military force, even as partisan divisions have grown increasingly sharp.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The report, \u201cPublic Opinion on Congressional Approval for Military Force,\u201d draws on more than four decades of survey data on presidential war powers and is part of the IGC\u2019s broader effort to foster civic understanding and engagement through public polling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Key findings:<\/p>\n
In 2026, roughly 70% of Americans say presidents should obtain congressional approval before taking military action.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Support for requiring congressional approval has consistently exceeded 50% since 1980, peaking at 86% in 2013.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The partisan divide now exceeds 40 percentage points: 90% of Democrats favor requiring congressional approval, compared to 48% of Republicans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Americans are more likely to support obtaining congressional approval when the opposing party holds the presidency.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Republican support for requiring congressional approval drops sharply after military action begins (from around 59% before action to 26% after), while Democratic support remains consistently high, at about 95-96%.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the abstract, the public wants Congress involved before military force is used,\u201d said Ryan Owens, director of the IGC. \u201cBut the partisan gap tells us that people don\u2019t apply that principle consistently when their own party holds the White House.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The report also shows that opinions can shift quickly once military action is underway. In the most recent cases, Republican support for requiring congressional approval dropped substantially after strikes began, while Democratic support stayed consistently high.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe broad pattern is stable,\u201d said Zach Goldberg, author of the report. \u201cWho is in power \u2013 as well as whether action has already been taken \u2013 makes a real difference in how people answer these questions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u202fRead the full findings and access data and figures in the latest report here: Public Opinion on Congressional Approval for Military Force<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u202fAbout the Institute for Governance and Civics \u00a0<\/p>\n
The Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University is dedicated to creating the next generation of effective citizens and responsible leaders. Established in 2023, the IGC supports a variety of initiatives that promote constitutional liberty, economic liberty, conscience liberty, and educational liberty through data-driven research, excellence in teaching, and intellectually diverse exchange. To learn more about the IGC, visit igc.fsu.edu<\/a>\u202for follow on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>, and YouTube<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n