- Public support for Iran war dropped to 33 percent.
- Most Americans consider President Trump’s war goals unclear.
- Rising casualties, gas prices spark public war concerns.
- War dissatisfaction could hurt Republicans in upcoming midterms.
Public support for the US war in Iran seems to have dropped to its lowest level since the conflict began nearly five months ago, with only one in three Americans backing the military campaign and a majority saying President Donald Trump has not adequately explained its objectives, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The nationwide survey, conducted between Friday and Sunday, found that just 33 per cent of Americans support the conflict. At the same time, 69 per cent of respondents, including four in 10 Republicans, said President Donald Trump has not clearly explained the goals of US military involvement in Iran.
Despite the decline in support for the war, Trump’s overall approval rating rose three percentage points from last month to 37 per cent.
Most Americans Say War Goals Remain Unclear
Trump has outlined several objectives for the conflict at different points, including preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, destroying its ballistic missile capabilities and supporting efforts to topple Iran’s leadership.
However, the poll suggests many Americans remain unconvinced about the rationale behind the campaign.
The poll found that 69 per cent of respondents, including around four in 10 Republicans, believe Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of US military involvement in Iran.”
Responding to the findings, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump would not base policy decisions on “fluid opinion polls” and reiterated that the administration remained committed to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
“What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe,” Reuters quoted her as saying.
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Support Far Lower Than Iraq, Afghanistan Wars
Approval for the Iran conflict has remained below 40 per cent since the US and Israel launched strikes on February 28, a sharp contrast to public backing for previous American wars.
Polling during the early months of the Iraq War showed around 70 per cent public support, while nearly 90 per cent of Americans backed the war in Afghanistan shortly after it began following the September 11 attacks, according to Gallup.
Reuters/Ipsos has tracked opinion on the conflict since mid-March. At that time, 37 per cent supported military strikes on Iran. On the opening day of the war, support stood at 27 per cent, though nearly three in 10 respondents were undecided.
War Weighs On Republicans Ahead Of Midterms
The Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests public dissatisfaction with the conflict could become a political challenge for Trump and Republican candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Republican strategist Alex Conant said the conflict has complicated the party’s messaging on the economy.
“This puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad,” Conant said. “The White House officials have been saying since January that they need to win economic arguments. It’s hard to win the economic arguments when you’re clearly focused on foreign policy.”
Independent voters surveyed favoured Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by 36 per cent to 20 per cent. They also preferred Democrats on economic issues, according to the poll.
Retired Marine Corps veteran Alex Womack, who previously supported Trump, said he no longer understood why the US was fighting Iran. “It’s not clear why we started a war with them. I have no idea.”
Womack added that his support for Trump had weakened because of the conflict.
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Rising Casualties, Fuel Prices Add To Concerns
The conflict has claimed the lives of 18 American service members, while thousands have reportedly been killed in Iran and Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah has been fighting Israeli forces.
The war has also pushed average US gasoline prices above $4 per gallon, compared with about $3 before the conflict began, adding to economic concerns for many Americans.
Republican strategist Alex Conant said the rising economic impact could hurt the party politically.
“This puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad,” he said, adding that it would be difficult for Republicans to win economic arguments while foreign policy dominated the agenda.
Trump Faces Questions Over Campaign Promise
The Reuters/Ipsos poll also captured growing scepticism among some of Trump’s own supporters.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump pledged to keep the United States out of prolonged overseas conflicts. He had initially predicted the Iran war would last only four to five weeks.
Rhyan Anderson, an independent voter from Georgia who backed Trump in 2024, said the president should prioritise domestic issues over overseas conflicts.
“My biggest thing is just focus on the people who are actually in the country,” Anderson said.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,246 US adults online and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
