Only One in Four Americans Views Iran Conflict as Worthwhile; Trump Approval Hits Term Low, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) – A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday shows that just 25% of Americans believe President Donald Trump’s war with Iran was justified, while a majority doubt that a truce with Tehran will endure.

The five‑day survey also indicates that the conflict has weighed heavily on Trump’s popularity, with his approval rating slipping to 34%, the lowest point of his second term since an April poll.

Only 23% of respondents – including half of Republicans – think the United States is now stronger in relation to Iran than before the war; 35% say the U.S. is weaker, and the remainder are uncertain or see no change.

On June 17, Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a preliminary agreement to reopen oil and gas shipping lanes frozen by the fighting and to ease U.S.-led economic pressure on Iran.

The deal caused a rapid decline in global crude prices, though most Americans still face higher gasoline costs than before the February 28 U.S.–Israeli strikes that ignited the conflict. Iran’s initial retaliation shut down about one‑fifth of the world’s oil trade and damaged energy facilities in U.S. regional allies.

War Not Considered Worthwhile

Only 24% of Americans deem the war worth its costs. Half of those surveyed said it was not, while the rest were unsure.

About 63% doubt that the Trump‑signed deal will produce lasting peace between the two nations. Roughly half of Republicans and eight‑in‑ten Democrats share this view, and just 18% – including 10% of Democrats and 34% of Republicans – see a durable peace as likely.

Trump, who secured the 2024 election by promising to curb inflation and avoid costly foreign wars, has built his political brand on his real‑estate and reality‑TV background.

His approval regarding the cost of living sits at 22%, near the lowest level of his presidency and below the rating of his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, at the end of his term.

Midterm Implications

Trump entered his current term with a 47% approval rating, but his popularity has eroded amid persistent inflation and controversy over aggressive immigration enforcement, including deadly clashes with pro‑immigration activists.

The decline could affect Republican efforts to protect their congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections. The poll shows only 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, the lowest of his term and down from 40% in the previous Reuters/Ipsos survey.

The poll surveyed 1,262 U.S. adults nationwide, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Edmund Klamann)

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