Public support for the US military campaign against Iran has declined, with nearly 70% of Americans saying President Donald Trump has failed to explain the objectives of the conflict clearly.
The survey, conducted July 24–26, found that only one in three Americans supports the US war in Iran — the lowest level recorded in Reuters/Ipsos polling since the conflict began.
According to the poll, 69% of respondents, including four in ten Republicans, said Trump had "not clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran." Overall approval of the conflict has remained below 40% since the United States and Israel launched strikes on February 28.
During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged not to involve the United States in prolonged wars. However, the conflict with Iran has now entered its fifth month. Reuters noted that public support for the war remains significantly lower than it was during the early stages of the US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
White House Press Secretary Olivia Wells said Trump would not base his decisions on "fluid opinion polls" and reiterated the president's determination to prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe," Wales stressed.
Since mid-March, Reuters/Ipsos has been tracking public opinion on military strikes against Iran. At that time, 37% of respondents said they supported such action.
Support stood at 27% on the day the war began, when the survey also offered respondents the option of selecting "unsure" — a choice made by 29%.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted online among 1,246 adults across the United States, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
