An increasing number of Americans want Joe Biden to encourage Israel to stop military actions in Gaza; and Mr. Biden's handling of the situation is now down to its lowest levels yet.
In the poll, conducted before Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel, there wasn't much clamor among the U.S. public for U.S. military action against Iran, were Iran to strike Israel. More would instead have the U.S. support Israel's next actions.
Mr. Biden faces particular pressure within his own party regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, where Democrats also express increasing sympathy with the Palestinian people, along with the Israelis; and Mr. Biden's handling has taken a particular hit among younger Americans as well.
Many sympathize with both the Israeli and Palestinian people, but the percentage of Democrats who also say they sympathize a lot with the Palestinian people is up from last fall.
The overwhelming majority of Americans across all party lines say they sympathize at least somewhat with the Israeli people. But the percentage who sympathize "a lot" is far lower than it was in October, just after Hamas' terror attacks.
Compared to last October, there are fewer Democrats and independents today who support sending weapons and supplies to Israel. However, this view remains a steady majority among Republicans.
There has been an increase in those advocating for sending humanitarian aid to Palestinians, but the majority of Republicans still oppose this idea.
Half of the country believes that the threat of terrorism will increase for both Israel and Americans due to the conflict.
Another potential issue for the president is that most Americans do not believe the U.S. government is doing everything possible to bring American hostages home.
Highlighting the significance of the situation, most people believe that how this matter is handled reflects on various aspects, including the morals and principles of the U.S., as well as its security and strategic interests.
Biden's overall approval — and declines among younger Americans
Politically, the economy remains a more critical factor for the president. For Democrats and independents, Biden's management of the Israel-Hamas conflict is not as closely linked to his overall job approval as his handling of the U.S. economy.
In essence, individuals are more inclined to disapprove of President Biden overall if they believe he is not effectively managing the economy, rather than if they think he is mishandling the conflict.
The Economy Takes a Hit
And that, in turn, doesn't have great news for him either. On the and the stock market drop that ensued, the months-long run-up of optimism about the economy has stalled for now. Views of it are still hovering in the mid-30's after regularly ticking up over the winter. And the percentage of Americans expecting economic growth has leveled off, too.
Concerns About the Economy
Moreover, when the bulk of Americans who think things in the country aren't going well are asked why that is, they say it's the economy, more so than wars and events overseas.
Approval Ratings
Mr. Biden's overall approval is still trading in a narrow range, the low 40s, about where it's long been.
Concerns Among Younger People
Although it's offset a bit elsewhere, his approval among younger people is down.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,399 U.S. adult residents interviewed between April 9-12, 2024. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past vote. The margin of error is ±2.6 points.
