A new Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that only one in four Americans believes the U.S.-Iran war under President Donald Trump was worth its costs. The five-day survey, which closed on Monday, also shows a majority worry that the truce between the two nations will not last.
Trump's approval rating has fallen to 34%, matching the lowest level of his second term, which was previously recorded in an April survey. The war has heavily weighed on his popularity, the poll indicates.
Public Perception of U.S. Position
Only 23% of Americans—including just half of Republicans—think the U.S. is now in a stronger position relative to Iran compared with before the war. Some 35% of respondents believe the U.S. is in a weaker position, while the rest said they were unsure or that the position was about the same.
Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a preliminary deal on June 18 to reopen oil and gas shipping lanes frozen by the conflict, easing U.S.-led economic pressure on Iran. The deal has led to a rapid drop in global crude oil prices, although gasoline prices for most Americans remain considerably higher than before the February 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes that started the war. Iran responded to the initial attack with strikes that shut down a fifth of the global oil trade and damaged energy facilities of U.S. regional allies.
Costs and Lasting Peace Doubts
Only 24% of Americans think the war with Iran was worth the costs, according to the poll. Half of respondents said the conflict was not worth it, and the rest were unsure. Some 63% of Americans believe it is unlikely that the deal Trump signed will lead to lasting peace between the two countries. About half of Republicans and eight in 10 Democrats said the deal was unlikely to deliver peace. Just 18% of Americans, including 10% of Democrats and 34% 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. His political brand has long leaned on his background as a deal-making real estate developer and reality television star.
Approval Rating and Midterm Implications
Trump's approval rating on the cost of living stands at 22%, near the lowest level of his presidency and below the rating of his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden at the end of his presidency. Trump started his current term with a 47% approval rating, but his popularity has suffered amid high inflation and controversy over aggressive deportation efforts that have included deadly confrontations with pro-immigration activists.
His falling popularity could weigh on Republican allies as they defend their congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections. The poll shows that just 17% of independent registered voters said they would vote for the Republican in their district if the election were held today, compared with 34% who said they would pick the Democrat.
Additionally, only 37% of Americans approved of how Trump has handled immigration, the lowest of his term and down from 40% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll. The latest poll gathered responses from 1,262 U.S. adults nationwide, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.
