Trump's Approval Crashes to 33% as Public Turns Against Iran Conflict
A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows President Trump's approval rating has fallen to 33%, with 80% of American adults expecting the Iran war to last a long time. Rising gas prices, now averaging $4.10 per gallon, are adding to public discontent. Trump defended the war in a recent speech, but the poll indicates widespread dissatisfaction across party lines.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted in late August, marks a continued slide for the president, who had already been mired in the low 30s for weeks. Notably, even 71% of Republican respondents anticipate a protracted conflict, undercutting the administration’s claims of imminent victory. The economic strain is tangible: the national average gas price of $4.10 per gallon has become a daily burden, prompting Trump’s defiant defense of the war as a necessary sacrifice. Meanwhile, the military picture is grim, with reports of exhausted munitions reserves, a reprise of the 1980s Tanker War, and sailors so overstretched that some have jumped overboard to escape deployments.
This poll could signal a pivotal shift in public trust, as the first Democratic edge on economic competence in a decade suggests the war’s costs are eroding traditional partisan loyalties. If sustained, this may reshape the 2026 midterm landscape, energizing opposition voters while forcing Republicans to distance themselves from the White House. The combination of prolonged conflict, rising fuel prices, and visible military strain could deepen civic disillusionment, though the slim margins indicate the effect remains fragile and contingent on events.