President Donald Trump is facing a political setback as a new humiliating poll shows Americans overwhelmingly skeptical of the war in Iran, with just 24 percent saying it has been worth the cost.
The Ipsos/Reuters survey, released Tuesday, underscores growing public discontent as the conflict stretches into its seventh week. Another 22 percent of respondents said they were unsure.
Even among Republicans, support for Trump is far from unified. While 55 percent say the war has been worth it, 20 percent believe it has not, and 24 percent remain undecided—an unusually large share expressing doubt compared to other issues where Trump typically commands strong backing.
The poll was conducted in the aftermath of the ceasefire and following Trump’s warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
The divide signals potential political trouble for the president as he heads toward the midterms, with cracks emerging in what has long been a reliably supportive base.
Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes in Iran angered some of his MAGA base, who backed him partly for his pledge of “no new wars.”
Economist/YouGov polling conducted before the conflict indicated that 53 percent of Trump voters opposed U.S. involvement in Iran, and critics now argue the current situation represents a departure from his promise to end “forever wars.”
As a result, Trump has already seen his approval ratings plummet amid his deeply unpopular war in Iran, which has fuelled concerns about the economy as oil and gas prices have surged.
A CNN/SSRS poll conducted this month found that approval of Trump’s handling of the economy is the lowest it has been in either of his two terms, with just 31 percent approving.
Meanwhile, a CBS/YouGov poll found that most Americans feel uncomfortable with the war in Iran.
According to the poll, 68 percent said they feel worried, 57 percent stressed, and 54 percent angry about the conflict. The poll also found that only 32 percent feel either safe or confident about the conflict.
The poll also found that a majority of Americans say the spike in gas prices tied to the war has strained their finances, while nearly two-thirds view the U.S. economy under Trump’s second term as being in poor shape.
Overall, the poll found that 64 percent of Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the situation with Iran.
Polls have also shown Trump’s approval rating plummeting with key parts of his base, including non-college-educated white Americans and working-class voters.
“The working class voters are abandoning Donald Trump,” CNN pollster Harry Enten said, adding, “Those who have put him over the top in 2024 are saying, You know what? Not for me right now.”
