WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) – Only about one-third of Americans are in favor of the ongoing conflict with Iran, marking the lowest level of support in a Reuters/Ipsos poll since the conflict began five months ago. Many respondents feel that President Donald Trump has not clearly articulated his objectives.
The survey, conducted from Friday through Sunday, also revealed an increase in Trump’s approval rating to 37%, a three-point rise from the previous month when his rating matched the lowest of his presidency.
Trump has outlined varying aims for the conflict, including supporting Iranians in overthrowing their leaders, dismantling Iran’s ballistic-missile capabilities, and preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons. According to the poll, 69% of Americans, including 40% of Republicans, believe Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales emphasized that Trump will not be swayed by “fluid opinion polls” and reiterated his commitment to ensuring Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. “What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe,” Wales stated.
Support for the conflict has remained below 40% since the United States and Israel initiated strikes on February 28, in stark contrast to the initial months of other recent conflicts.
In comparison, the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011 saw about 70% of Americans in support during its early months. Similarly, around 90% of Americans backed the Afghanistan War in its initial phase, which lasted from 2001 to 2021, according to Gallup polls.
‘No Idea’ Why U.S. At War
Public dissatisfaction with the war is proving to be a challenge for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections, where Trump’s allies will attempt to maintain their slim majorities in Congress.
“It’s not clear why we started a war with them. I have no idea,” commented Alex Womack, a retired turbine repair specialist from Stockbridge, Georgia. Womack became a Republican partly due to his admiration for how George H.W. Bush managed the Gulf War in 1991. Having served in the U.S. Marine Corps during that time, Womack mentioned that his support for Trump has waned due to the war. “I don’t think he’s doing very well, personally,” he added.
So far, 18 American soldiers have lost their lives in the conflict, while thousands have died in Iran and Lebanon, where Iran-allied fighters have been engaged in battles with Israeli forces. The war has also caused a significant rise in gasoline prices, affecting many Americans’ finances. The national average for gasoline now exceeds $4 a gallon, up from about $3 before the war began on February 28.
“This puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad,” said Alex Conant, a Republican political strategist and former White House spokesman. “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.”
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that independent voters favor the Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by a margin of 36% to 20%. Independents also prefer Democrats over Republicans regarding economic policy, according to the poll.
Trump Vowed To Stay Out Of Wars
During his campaign for the 2024 presidential election, Trump pledged to avoid prolonged conflicts. He initially estimated that the Iran war would last four to five weeks. He has been sensitive to comparisons with other wars, such as the Vietnam War, which lasted two decades and resulted in the deaths of over 58,000 U.S. soldiers.
Rhyan Anderson, an independent from Fairburn, Georgia, who voted for Trump in 2024, believes Trump should prioritize domestic issues over supporting Israel or other allies.
“My biggest thing is just focus on the people who are actually in the country,” said Anderson, who balances two jobs in security and data collection and voted for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. “I know we have allies and things like that, but there’s a lot of people here that really need help.” Since mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos survey has asked respondents whether they support or oppose military strikes on Iran. At that time, 37% were in favor of the war, compared to 27% on the day the war began, when 29% of respondents chose the unsure option.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted online nationwide, collected responses from 1,246 U.S. adults with a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction. (Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; editing by Scott Malone)
