US public support for Iran war hits record low as Trump approval sinks

Six months into a war that began with coordinated American and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, public appetite for the conflict has eroded to its thinnest point yet. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday found that just 31 percent of Americans now support continued military action against Iran—a steep decline from the 37 percent who backed the campaign in March and even the 34 percent measured earlier this month. The shift reflects a broader unraveling of consensus, particularly among Republicans, whose support has fallen from 77 percent in spring to 69 percent now. For a president who staked his political identity on avoiding foreign entanglements and restoring economic stability, the numbers are unforgiving.

Trump's overall approval rating has settled at 33 percent, matching the lowest point recorded across his first and second terms combined. The war, it appears, is not lifting him. Instead, it is anchoring him to a deepening unpopularity that shows no sign of reversing. The administration has defended the military campaign as essential to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and in recent days, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an escalation of economic pressure—a strategy called "Operation Economic Outcast" designed to sever Iran's oil revenues and isolate it from global commerce. Yet these moves have done nothing to restore public confidence.

The economic toll is impossible to ignore. Iran has maintained what amounts to a de facto blockade of regional oil exports, driving American gasoline prices to near-record highs. Six months into the conflict, fuel costs sit more than a dollar per gallon above pre-war levels—a gap that compounds monthly for every American who drives. That arithmetic translates directly into household budgets and, in turn, into political vulnerability. Trump campaigned in 2024 on promises to bring inflation down and to steer clear of costly foreign military adventures. The war on Iran violates both pledges.

Americans increasingly expect the conflict to drag on. Eighty-three percent of survey respondents said they believe the war will last for an extended period, up from 80 percent earlier in the month. That expectation of prolonged engagement, combined with rising energy costs and a president whose approval is at historic lows, creates a precarious political landscape heading into November's midterm elections. Republicans hold narrow congressional majorities, and the party's ability to defend those seats may hinge partly on whether economic conditions improve—a prospect that seems remote as long as the war continues and oil remains scarce.

The erosion of support cuts across party lines, though it is sharpest among Republicans. But perhaps most telling is the shift among independent voters, who now favor Democrats over Republicans in hypothetical congressional matchups. Among independents, 33 percent said they would vote Democratic compared with just 19 percent who would choose Republican. The poll surveyed 1,215 adults over four days with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. What emerges is a portrait of a nation growing weary—weary of war, weary of high gas prices, and weary of a president whose approval has nowhere left to fall.