Trump's Approval Rating Rises Despite Declining Support for War with Iran — Reuters
Americans' attitudes toward a military confrontation with Iran have worsened: support for the war has fallen to one of its lowest levels since the conflict began. At the same time, as of July 27, U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has risen by 3% over the past month, according to a Reuters poll.
According to a joint Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from Friday to Sunday, only 33% of Americans support a war with Iran. This is the lowest figure since the early days of the five-month conflict.
At the same time, Trump’s approval rating has risen to 37%. A month earlier, it stood at 34%, which was the lowest figure of his presidency.
As Reuters notes, 69% of those surveyed believe that Trump has failed to “clearly explain the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.” This view is shared not only by Democrats and independent voters, but also by about 40% of Republican supporters.
Throughout the conflict, Trump has cited various objectives for the military campaign, including helping the Iranian people bring about a change in government, destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, and preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The White House stated that the president does not base his decisions on the results of opinion polls. According to administration press secretary Olivia Wails, Trump’s primary objective remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Reuters notes that public dissatisfaction with the war is increasing pressure on Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the midterm congressional elections scheduled for November.
The news agency notes that the conflict has taken a toll on the U.S. economy. Since the war began, the average price of gasoline in the U.S. has risen from about $3 to $4 per gallon, which has further fueled voter dissatisfaction.
The poll also showed that among independent voters, Democrats hold an advantage over Republicans in terms of preference for the congressional elections—36% versus 20%. Furthermore, independent Americans trust the Democratic Party more on economic policy issues.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted online across the United States among 1,246 American adults. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
Iran previously stated that it had not asked the U.S. to resume negotiations and that it continues to control the Strait of Hormuz. These statements came after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended the campaign of airstrikes against Iran.
The U.S. postponed a planned large-scale military operation against Iran due to a shortage of interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense systems.
The United Kingdom commented on Iran’s threats.
Oil prices fell by more than 6% following the pause in hostilities between the U.S. and Iran — Reuters
