A new poll finds that a majority of Americans are concerned about the U.S. war against Iran.
Published August 17, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to the lowest level of his presidency, and an overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned that the US-Israel war with Iran will be prolonged.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 33% of respondents approved of President Trump’s job performance. His approval rating is at a record low this term, comparable to the lowest level reached in December 2017 during his first term.
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The poll, conducted over four days, found that 64% of Americans disapprove of the way he is conducting his job.
The drop in the poll numbers comes as an overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned about continued war with Iran. Consumers have seen dramatic increases in fuel prices since the war began in February, with gasoline (petrol) prices up nearly a third from a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.
Trump, who campaigned on a promise to curb inflation and avoid a long war, initially promised a conflict with Iran would take weeks. He argued that war was the only way to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons that threatened the world. But Iran has shown resilience, and even as the conflict subsides, oil and gas export trade through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely stagnant.
On Friday, President Trump told a rally of supporters that paying “a little bit more for gas” was worth the cost of keeping “a very evil country,” Iran, from getting a nuclear weapon.
About 80% of Americans (including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans) believe that U.S. involvement in Iran “will continue for a long time,” according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 16% said the conflict was likely to end within a few weeks.
A recent Politico poll found that only one-third of self-proclaimed “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) voters (typically Trump’s most unquestioning base) feel the economic cost of war with Iran is worth it.
