Majority of Americans oppose cost of Trump’s Iran war, FT poll reveals

A majority of American voters believe President Donald Trump’s war in Iran has not been worth the financial and strategic cost, said a new Financial Times poll that highlights growing public unease over the conflict as the United States heads toward November’s midterm elections.

The nationwide survey, conducted by London-based research company Focaldata from June 26 to 30, found that 58% of registered voters said the war had not been worth its cost. The findings come as the White House seeks congressional approval for $67 billion in additional federal spending to cover war-related expenses.

The poll also suggests many Americans believe the conflict has weakened Washington’s position. Some 44% of respondents said the war had left the US in a weaker position with Iran, compared with 31% who believed it had strengthened America’s standing.

On the eve of this week’s NATO summit in Ankara, the survey found continued public support for the alliance despite Trump’s repeated criticism of it. Fifty-three percent of voters said the US should remain a member of NATO, while 23% favored leaving the alliance.

Trump has long threatened to withdraw from NATO and earlier this year described it as a “paper tiger,” criticizing European allies for refusing to participate in the US military campaign in Iran.

In an interview with the Financial Times last week, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte argued that Europe’s military rearmament benefits the US economy, saying it supports 195,000 American defense jobs through $300 billion in arms orders.

The poll comes at a politically sensitive moment, with control of both chambers of Congress at stake in the November midterm elections. Although a fragile truce between Washington and Tehran remains in place, Trump continues to face mounting criticism, including from fellow Republicans, over his handling of the conflict.

Last month, the United States and Iran agreed to an interim deal extending a months-long ceasefire and offering concessions to Tehran, prompting backlash from many Republicans. Fighting later resumed through reciprocal strikes before both sides agreed last weekend to pause hostilities and resume negotiations.

Voters remained skeptical of the understanding reached between the two countries. Roughly 66% said the agreement would have little or no impact on peace and stability in the Middle East or could even increase instability, while only one in five respondents believed it would lead to peace.

The conflict also appears to be weighing on Trump’s domestic standing as rising fuel and consumer prices continue to affect households. The president’s approval rating fell to 36%, down two percentage points from the previous month. Among independent voters, approval dropped eight points to just 21%.

The survey also indicated improving prospects for Democrats ahead of the midterms. When asked which party’s congressional candidates they would support, 44% backed Democrats compared with 38% for Republicans, widening the Democrats’ lead from four points to six points over the past month.

However, Republicans showed stronger voter enthusiasm. Three-quarters of self-identified Republicans rated their likelihood of voting in November at eight or higher on a 10-point scale, compared with 69% of Democrats and 56% of independents.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The poll surveyed 1,795 registered voters online and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

By Vafa Guliyeva