Nicolai Haugsted
Americans deliver devastating verdict on Trump’s handling of the Iran war.
Public backing for the U.S. military campaign in Iran has fallen to its lowest level since the conflict began, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll that suggests President Donald Trump is struggling to convince Americans of the war’s purpose.
Only about one in three respondents now support the military operation, while a clear majority say the White House has failed to explain what the United States is trying to achieve.
Most say objectives remain unclear
The nationwide survey found that 69% of Americans believe Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
Skepticism extends beyond the president’s political opponents. Roughly four in 10 Republicans also said the administration has failed to provide a clear explanation.
Trump has outlined several objectives since the war began, including preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, eliminating its ballistic missile capabilities and encouraging political change inside the country.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales dismissed the significance of the poll, saying the administration remains focused on national security rather than fluctuating public opinion.
“What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe,” Wales said, adding that Trump remains committed to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
Political pressure builds
Support for the conflict has remained below 40% since U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on February 28, marking a stark contrast with previous American wars.
Early public backing for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq reached roughly 90% and 70%, respectively, according to historical Gallup polling.
Political analysts say the latest figures could become a growing concern for Republicans ahead of November’s congressional elections, particularly as voters continue to rank the economy among their biggest priorities.
Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who served as a White House spokesman under President George W. Bush, said:
“This puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad.”
He added:
“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.”
Some Trump voters are losing confidence
The poll also highlighted frustration among some voters who previously supported Trump.
Alex Womack, a retired Marine Corps veteran from Georgia who became a Republican partly because of George H.W. Bush’s leadership during the Gulf War, questioned the rationale behind the conflict.
“It’s not clear why we started a war with them. I have no idea.”
Independent voter Rhyan Anderson, who backed Trump in the 2024 election after voting for Joe Biden four years earlier, argued that domestic issues should take priority over overseas conflicts.
“My biggest thing is just focus on the people who are actually in the country. I know we have allies and things like that, but there’s a lot of people here that really need help”.
War weighs on voters
The conflict has claimed the lives of 18 American service members, while thousands have been killed in Iran and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, rising fuel prices have added to concerns at home, with the national average for gasoline climbing above $4 per gallon after sitting at roughly $3 before the war began.
Despite growing dissatisfaction with the conflict, Trump’s overall job approval rating edged up to 37% in the latest Reuters/Ipsos survey, three percentage points higher than the previous month.
The poll was conducted online between Friday and Sunday among 1,246 U.S. adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
