According to a new AP-NORC poll conducted July 23-27, public opinion on the Trump administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran has shifted unfavorably. About two-thirds of U.S. adults say the war, which began February 28, has not been worthwhile. Trump’s approval rating on Iran management stands at 28%, down from 34% the previous month.
The decline reflects diminishing support across political groups. While roughly 61% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, this represents a decline from 71% in June, though the margin of sampling error for Republicans is 6 percentage points. Majorities of Democrats and independents oppose the president’s approach, and about 37% of Republicans also say the war has not been worthwhile.
Americans show limited appetite for continued military escalation. Only about 2 in 10 adults support ongoing military action, while roughly 3 in 10 favor pausing operations to pursue negotiations for a ceasefire. About 2 in 10 want military action stopped entirely, and one-quarter lack sufficient information to form an opinion. Support for continued action concentrates among Republicans identifying as “very conservative” or aligned with the MAGA movement.
Economic concerns significantly shape public views on the conflict. Approximately 72% of Americans say preventing domestic oil and gas price increases is “extremely” or “very” important, up from 67% in March. Oil recently topped $100 per barrel, and gasoline prices rose above $4 per gallon on average. About 4 in 10 Americans report that gas costs represent a “major source” of stress, compared with 3 in 10 in February.
The polling also reveals differences in Americans’ stated priorities for the conflict. While about 7 in 10 say keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is highly important, a similar proportion say negotiating a permanent ceasefire is equally important. Republicans particularly emphasize preventing Iran’s nuclear development, with about 8 in 10 calling this at least “very” important.
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