President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to its lowest point of his term, as a majority of Americans worry the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran will drag on, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Only 33% of respondents said they were satisfied with Trump's handling of the country, the lowest of his current term and matching the low recorded in December 2017 during his first term. The four-day survey also showed 64% of Americans were dissatisfied with his job performance.
The decline comes as most Americans express concern about the ongoing war with Iran. Fuel prices have risen sharply since the conflict erupted in February, with gasoline prices up nearly a third from a year earlier, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Trump campaigned on a promise to control inflation and avoid lengthy wars. He initially said the conflict with Iran would last only a few weeks, stressing it was the only way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. However, Iran has shown resilience, and oil and gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz remain largely blocked even as the conflict has cooled.
Speaking at a rally on Friday, Trump said paying "a little bit more for gasoline" was worth preventing a "very evil country" like Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
About 80% of Americans, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, believe U.S. involvement in Iran "will last for a long time," according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 16% think the conflict will end within a few weeks.
A recent Politico poll found that only a third of self-identified MAGA (Make America Great Again) voters—typically Trump's most loyal supporters—consider the economic costs of the war with Iran worth it.
