Most Americans say a terrorist attack justifies declaring a national emergency
Core finding
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.
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?
n = 1,000 · Jun 21, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Jun 21, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | 1 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26
Which of the following do you consider a genuine national emergency that would justify a president declaring a state of emergency?
Cite this question
Verasight MPSA Omnibus Survey #2026-050, fielded June 21-21, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.