Report · Politics

Most Americans say a terrorist attack justifies declaring a national emergency

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Four-in-five Americans (80%) count a terrorist attack as a genuine national emergency that would justify a president declaring a state of emergency, a June 2026 Verasight survey finds.

Nearly as many say the same of a natural disaster (74%) and a public health epidemic (74%). Smaller shares point to a financial crisis (40%), widespread political unrest (31%), or a surge in immigration at the border (29%), while 6% see none of these as a genuine emergency.

Topline

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Selected responses

Most Americans say a terrorist attack justifies declaring a national emergency.

Which of the following do you consider a genuine national emergency that would justify a president declaring a state of emergency?

  • A terrorist attack 79.8%
  • A natural disaster (hurricane, earthquake, wildfire) 74.1%
  • A public health epidemic 73.7%
  • A financial crisis 39.7%
  • A widespread political unrest 31.1%
  • A surge in immigration at the border 29.5%
  • None of the above 6.0%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2026-06-21 → 2026-06-21
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
1

Source

Citation

Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2026-050, fielded June 21-21, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
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Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

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