Few think Iran war worthy, Trump approval plummets
Only one in four Americans believe President Donald Trump’s war with Iran is worth the cost, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, and a majority worry that a ceasefire with Tehran is unlikely to last long.
The five-day survey, which ended Monday, showed that the war has also taken a heavy toll on Trump’s popularity, with his approval rating falling to 34 percent; That would mark a return to the lowest level of the Republicans’ second term, last reached in an April poll.
Only 23 percent of Americans (including just half of Republicans) think the United States is now in a stronger position against Iran than it was before the war, according to the poll. About 35 percent of those surveyed felt they were in a weaker position. The rest said they were unsure or that the U.S. position was about the same as before.
Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a preliminary agreement on June 17 that will reopen oil and gas shipping lines frozen due to the conflict while also easing US-led economic pressure on Iran.
The agreement led to a rapid decline in global crude oil prices; But for most Americans, the price of oil is considerably higher than it was before the February 28 US-Israeli attacks that started the war.
Iran responded to the initial attack with attacks that shut down a fifth of global oil trade and damaged the energy facilities of US regional allies.
Only 24 percent of Americans think war with Iran is worth the costs, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Half of those surveyed said the conflict wasn’t worth it, and the rest were unsure.
About 63 percent of Americans think the deal Trump signed is unlikely to lead to lasting peace between the two countries. Nearly half of Republicans and eight in 10 Democrats said the deal was unlikely to bring peace. Only 18 percent of Americans (10 percent of Democrats and 34 percent of Republicans) see lasting peace as likely.
Trump won the 2024 presidential election after promising to reduce inflation and keep America out of costly foreign wars.
Trump began his current term with a 47 percent approval rating, but his popularity has been damaged by high inflation rates as well as controversy over his aggressive efforts to deport people in the country illegally, including deadly clashes with pro-immigration activists.
His declining popularity could put pressure on Republican allies defending their congressional majorities in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 17 percent of registered independent voters said they would vote Republican in their district if the election were held today, while 34 percent said they would choose Democrats.
