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Published Jul 30, 2026Updated Jul 31 Major3
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Most Americans say Iran war not worth fighting, Trump approval slips
An AP-NORC poll finds 64% of Americans say the Iran war has not been worth fighting, with Trump's approval on Iran at 28%, down from 34% in June. Only 23% of Americans support continuing military action, while support among Republicans for Trump's Iran policy has declined to 61% from 71%.
Quick Facts
- AP-NORC poll on public views of Iran war and Trump's handling
- U.S. and Iran paused military attacks following two-week escalation
- U.S. targeted Iranian military and commercial sites
- Iran attacked U.S. military facilities in the Middle East
- Trump administration sought to revise casualty figures
Related Insights
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A new AP-NORC poll conducted July 23–27, 2026, reveals widespread public dissatisfaction with the ongoing war in Iran. According to the survey, 64% of Americans believe the conflict has not been worth fighting, while only 33% say it has been worthwhile. The war began on February 28, 2026, and has resulted in 18 U.S. service members killed, though the Trump administration has sought to revise casualty figures.
President Trump's approval rating on his handling of Iran stands at 28%, down slightly from 34% in June. Among Republicans, 61% approve of Trump's Iran policy, down from 71% in June—a decline of 10 percentage points that pollsters note is statistically slight but noteworthy given otherwise strong Republican approval of Trump's overall presidency. Support differs sharply by party: 61% of Republicans say the war has been worthwhile compared with only 10% of Democrats. Trump's overall approval rating is at 33%, slightly below where he stood at the same point in his first term.
The poll was conducted as the U.S. and Iran paused military attacks following a nearly two-week escalation. During that escalation, the U.S. targeted Iranian military and commercial sites, while Iran attacked U.S. military facilities in the Middle East. Public appetite for continued military action is low: only 23% want the U.S. to continue military attacks, while 23% say attacks should stop entirely. Thirty percent say the U.S. should pause military action and seek a renewed ceasefire through negotiations, and 24% say they lack sufficient information to hold an opinion.
American priorities for Iran policy appear misaligned with Trump's stated objectives. While Trump has repeatedly cited preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon as the war's rationale, a larger share of Americans prioritize keeping gasoline prices low or negotiating a permanent ceasefire. Roughly 70% of Americans consider preventing oil and gas price increases an important foreign policy goal. Forty percent of Americans cite the cost of gas as a major source of stress in their lives—a sharp increase from 27% in February 2026, before the war began.
The results present a political challenge for congressional Republicans facing reelection in November who have defended Trump's military actions. The poll included interviews with 1,165 U.S. adults and carries an overall margin of sampling error of ±3.7 percentage points.
Why This Matters
As the Iran-U.S. war enters its fifth month with 18 U.S. service members killed, public support for continued military action has narrowed to 23%, while 30% advocate for a ceasefire through negotiation. Trump's approval on Iran policy has declined to 28%, and Republican backing has fallen 10 percentage points to 61%—measurable shifts ahead of November congressional reelections. Simultaneously, 70% of Americans prioritize preventing oil and gas price increases in foreign policy, and 40% cite gas costs as a major source of stress, up from 27% before the war, signaling potential pressure on lawmakers defending Trump's military strategy.
Timeline & Sources
Feb 28, 2026
WireWar with Iran begins
Jul 30, 2026
WirePoll results published
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