Emerging
Published Jun 19, 2026Updated Jun 191
71%
Trump's Iran Approval Remains Low Despite Deal, AP-NORC Poll Shows
An AP-NORC poll conducted in mid-June found that 65% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of Iran, with his overall approval at 37%, even as a tentative deal to end the three-month conflict emerged. The agreement reopens the Strait of Hormuz and restarts nuclear talks, though some Republicans criticized it for providing insufficient concessions on Iran's nuclear program.
Quick Facts
- AP-NORC poll on Trump's Iran approval rating
- Three-month war with Iran
- Trump announced deal with Iran
- Ended U.S. naval blockade in Strait of Hormuz
- Iran allowed to sell oil freely
A new AP-NORC poll reveals that most Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of Iran, with just one-third approving of his approach, even as a tentative deal to end the three-month conflict emerged in mid-June. The survey, conducted June 11-17, found that approximately 65% of U.S. adults disapprove of Trump's Iran policy, reflecting deep public dissatisfaction with the war despite the administration's abrupt shift from escalation threats to reopening negotiations.
The deal, signed shortly after the poll concluded, includes several key provisions: reopening the Strait of Hormuz without tolls for two months, allowing Iran to resume oil sales, restarting U.S.-Iran talks on Tehran's nuclear program, and requiring Iran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The agreement also ended the U.S. naval blockade that had been in place. Trump's overall job approval rating stands at 37%, unchanged from a May poll, indicating his Iran policy approval aligns with his broader approval metrics.
Approval of Trump's Iran handling breaks sharply along partisan lines. While only 28% of Republicans express disapproval, the vast majority of Democrats and independents view his actions negatively. However, even some Republicans interviewed expressed frustration with the deal's outcomes, arguing it provided insufficient concessions on Iran's nuclear weapons program. One Republican-leaning independent criticized the agreement as "fluff" that focused primarily on the strait rather than achieving broader objectives.
Public sentiment on the military campaign itself remains negative. A majority of Americans—53%—believe U.S. military action against Iran has "gone too far," down only slightly from 59% in March. Among Republicans, however, views diverge: about 4 in 10 said the military action was "about right," while 37% believe it has not gone far enough. Some Americans interviewed supported the military campaign as necessary to address Iran's nuclear threat and protect U.S. interests.
Tensions have also emerged between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israeli military actions in Lebanon, which the president believes jeopardized ongoing negotiations with Iran. The poll found that Trump's approval rating on handling Israel is similarly low at 34%, reflecting broader dissatisfaction with the administration's Middle East policies among the American public.
Why This Matters
This poll reveals a critical disconnect between Trump's foreign policy actions and American public opinion. Even as the administration declared a diplomatic victory by negotiating an Iran deal, two-thirds of Americans disapprove of its Iran strategy. For readers, this signals that military escalation and sudden diplomatic reversals erode public trust, and that broader Middle East policy—including tensions with Israel—continues to drag down presidential approval ratings. This matters for understanding political momentum heading into electoral cycles and the sustainability of foreign policy without public backing.