Most Americans Now See Iran War as Unnecessary

Nearly seven out of ten Americans now believe the conflict between the US and Israel against Iran is a fight not worth having. This represents a sharp rise in public disapproval since July. A fresh nationwide survey released Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 71 percent of adults disapprove of how Donald Trump is managing the situation with Iran, while 69 percent say the war itself has been unnecessary.

The study questioned more than 2,000 US residents. It paints a picture of deep frustration regarding the economy and soaring prices at home. Only 17 percent approved of how the president handles the cost of living, and just 26 percent backed his overall economic performance. These figures mark the lowest approval levels yet.

Fuel costs are driving public anger. About half of those surveyed said they were deeply worried about filling their gas tanks, a jump from 39 percent back in July. Roughly half also expressed high concern over affording food. Trump is currently campaigning hard for the midterms across Texas and Oklahoma. He tries to energize his Republican base while voters worry about the economic damage caused by the Iran war.

Even among Republicans, trust is fading. Two-thirds of GOP respondents blamed factors outside their president's control for higher prices, though about one-third pointed directly to his policies as the cause. The grim data shows he remains unpopular nationally, with some party members accusing him of failing to bring promised relief.

More than half of all adults surveyed feel the national economy and the country are worse off now that Trump returned to office in 2025. In an interview with TIME magazine published Thursday, Trump was asked if this unwanted war could hurt his party's chances in November. He first said it might be possible but added that it should help because Iran would not get a nuclear weapon. When faced with these dropping poll numbers, he called the pollsters corrupt and claimed their results were fake. He insisted he could beat any opponent running today by 20 points.