A new poll reveals that most Americans believe President Donald Trump has not clearly defined U.S. military objectives in Iran, as the war fuels a rise in gas prices that voters are feeling directly in their wallets.
New poll shows Americans have doubts about Donald Trump’s Iran war reasoning
66% percent of Americans say Donald Trump hasn’t “clearly explained” what the nation aims to achieve in its war against Iran, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on May 11. The same poll found that 63% of respondents report their personal finances have suffered due to surging fuel costs tied to the war. As of May 11, the national average price for a gallon of regular petrol reached $4.52, while drivers in California now pay more than $6.15 per gallon (via AAA).
When asked who bears responsibility for the rise in prices, 65% of those polled blamed the Republican Party. 27% pointed to Democrats. Trump responded to the growing pressure on Monday by proposing a suspension of the federal gas tax, which currently adds 18.4 cents per gallon. No formal action has followed that statement.
Trust in the president’s wartime leadership remains shaky. The poll puts Donald Trump’s overall approval rating at 36%, a marginal rise from the 34% recorded in late April, which is his lowest of the second term. His strongest approval this term came in January 2025, when he reached 47%. The survey of 1,254 adults, conducted between May 8 and 1, carries a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Moreover, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that the month-long ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran sits on “massive life support” and described it as “unbelievably weak.” Iran had submitted a counteroffer on Sunday, laying out terms to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump rejected that proposal outright, calling it “totally unacceptable” and a “piece of garbage.”
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory
