Republicans increasingly oppose President Trump’s war with Iran — TIME
In the United States, an increasing number of Republican Party candidates and lawmakers are calling for an end to the nearly seven-month war with Iran. Some Republicans are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections, citing rising fuel prices, inflation, and the lack of a clear strategy for exiting the conflict, TIME reports.
Active hostilities in Iran resumed over the past month after peace talks between Washington and Tehran reached a deadlock in the summer. At the same time, Trump said the conflict could end after the midterm elections and reported a “very good” meeting with Iran’s mediators.
The war’s impact on prices
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the war caused energy prices in the United States to rise, mainly because of disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. One-fifth of global crude oil supplies pass through this route. The war added 2.3 percentage points to the annual inflation rate, which stood at 5.3% in the second quarter of 2026.
Since the start of the war, the price of regular gasoline has risen by about 52%, to around $4.48 per gallon, while diesel fuel prices have increased by 71%. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in late August showed that 47% of voters consider the cost of living the most important factor when voting in November. Only one-quarter of Americans consider the war with Iran justified.
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Republican Senate candidate from Iowa Ashley Hinson said that state residents should not have to pay for the war through prices at gas stations and stores, and that the conflict should be ended immediately and successfully. Trump had previously dismissed concerns about the war’s impact on fuel prices, but said his administration was considering a ban on diesel fuel exports to curb prices.
Declining support among Republicans
According to a YouGov poll conducted on September 18–21, 53% of Republicans believed the decision to start the war was correct, compared with 68% in April. An SSRS poll for CNN recorded a decline in approval of the war among Republicans from 73% in March to 60% on September 16–17. Among Republicans under the age of 45, 53% disapproved of the conflict.
Republicans Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa this month for the first time supported a resolution limiting Trump’s ability to continue military action in Iran without congressional approval. Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Warren Davidson, Tom Barrett, and Nancy Mace also voted for the document. It was the third House of Representatives vote on limiting the president’s war powers regarding Iran.
A Fox News poll conducted on September 11–14 showed that 71% of voters believe Trump has no clear strategy for ending the war. This view is shared by 43% of Republicans.
