Trump’s Big Gamble Blows Up in His Face in Devastating Poll

President Donald Trump is facing a stinging public rebuke over his war in Iran, with a majority of Americans declaring the dragging conflict isn’t worth fighting as his approval numbers crater.

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About two-thirds of U.S. adults say the war, which began February 28, has not been worthwhile, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Eighteen U.S. service members have died since the war began, though the Trump administration has sought to revise those numbers.

The survey underscores how unpopular the war has become at home, a potential liability for congressional Republicans up for re-election in November who have defended Trump’s military actions. Just 28 percent of U.S. adults now approve of how Trump is handling Iran, down slightly from 34 percent last month.

Even Republicans appear increasingly unhappy with the prolonged conflict, with roughly 61 percent approving of Trump’s handling of Iran, down from 71 percent in June.

The margin of sampling error for Republicans is 6 points, making the decline modest, but it’s still notable given Republicans’ much higher approval of Trump’s presidency overall, which currently sits at 33 percent, slightly below where he stood at this point in his first term and comparable to where former President Joe Biden stood roughly a year-and-a-half into his presidency, when inflation peaked.

The findings also suggest most Americans’ priorities for the conflict don’t line up with Trump’s own stated rationale. He has repeatedly said the war was launched to keep a nuclear weapon out of Iran’s hands, and about two-thirds of U.S. adults, particularly Republicans, agree that’s “extremely” or “very” important.

But even more Americans say it’s highly important for the U.S. to keep gasoline prices low or negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Iran.

There’s little appetite for a prolonged conflict. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults want to continue military action in Iran, while about 3 in 10 say the U.S. should pause and seek a renewed ceasefire through negotiations, and roughly 2 in 10 want to stop military action entirely.

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About half of Republicans, particularly those who identify as “very conservative,” say the U.S. should keep fighting, and Republicans who identify with Trump’s Make America Great Again movement are far likelier than non-MAGA Republicans to want the war to continue.

About 7 in 10 U.S. adults, 72 percent, say it’s “extremely” or “very” important for the U.S. to prevent domestic oil and gas prices from rising, up slightly from 67 percent in March.

Oil topped $100 a barrel last week, ending a brief dip when hostilities eased in June, and gas prices have climbed above $4 a gallon on average. Inflation has cooled but remains elevated, and consumer spending has slowed, with signs Americans are increasingly hunting for sales.

About 7 in 10 Americans also say reaching a ceasefire is “extremely” or “very” important, slightly higher than the roughly two-thirds who prioritize keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and well above the 4 in 10 who prioritize preventing Iran from threatening Israel.

The grim numbers come as bleak polling for Trump and the GOP keeps piling up, with just 96 days until Americans head to the polls. A separate CNN poll conducted by SSRS found Democrats holding an eight-point lead over Republicans in the generic congressional ballot among registered voters, widening to a 20-point advantage among those “extremely motivated to vote.”

Sixty-three percent of Americans say the Republican Party doesn’t show enough interest in economic matters, focusing too little on cost-of-living issues.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales responded to the figures by saying that “What matters most to the American people is having a Commander in Chief who takes bold action to keep them safe, which is exactly what President Trump is doing.”