Insights from Mindsets Research: Public Thinking about the Use of Force, Presidential Power, and Cost of Living

In this video discussion—filmed in March 2026 as the US enters a war with Iran—Drew and Clara from the FrameWorks Institute’s Culture Change Project reflect on how Americans are thinking about current issues: from the use of force abroad, to the rising costs of living at home, to the role of presidential power. 

Key insights:

• People are starting to talk about war as something that some in power benefit from while others are harmed.
• While people don’t generally understand what the President does and does not have the authority to do, they do recognize that something feels off.

In the discussion, Drew and Clara note a couple of opportunities to help people understand the impacts of foreign policy choices on their daily lives:

• Instead of focusing solely on symptoms (gas prices), talk about root causes (like arbitrary decisions, executive overreach, and policy choices).
• Don’t get stuck in a technical or legal debate about war powers. Focus on things people already feel, like the idea that the government should be responsive to what people say they do or don’t want.