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

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/politics/most-americans-say-a-terrorist-attack-justifies-declaring-a-national-emergency/

> Indexed question in Politics.

## Reading

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

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

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

Respondents could select more than one option, so shares may sum to more than 100%.

- 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%

## 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: 2026-06-21 → 2026-06-21
- 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

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-39](https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-39)

## Citation

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

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-39](https://reports.verasight.io/r/mpsa26#q-39)