WHY BOTHER?

Voters Hit Trump With Humiliating Verdict on His War

The latest poll shows Americans are not convinced by Trump’s war on Iran.

President Donald Trump has been dealt a fresh political blow after a new poll found a clear majority of Americans do not think his war on Iran has been worth it.

The latest nationwide Financial Times/Focaldata survey, conducted June 26-30 among 1,795 registered voters, suggests Americans remain deeply unconvinced by the conflict’s outcome.

Nearly six in 10 voters (58 percent) said the war was not worth the cost, while 44 percent believed it had weakened the United States’ position against Iran.

Just 31 percent said the war, which Trump launched without congressional approval or public support, had strengthened Washington’s financial and strategic standing, with 44 percent saying Washington’s position is now weaker.

It is one of a flurry of recent polls showing Americans do not think the war was worthwhile, fueling GOP fears that Republicans could lose control of Congress in November’s midterms.

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The latest CBS News/YouGov survey, conducted June 17-19, showed that 69 percent of Americans said they do not think the war was worthwhile.

Meanwhile, just 29 percent of Americans said the war has successfully advanced U.S. strategic interests, and only 28 percent believe it has advanced U.S. economic interests.

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It comes as the conflict has hit Americans’ wallets. Global energy prices have climbed sharply since fighting erupted, with oil prices up roughly 35 percent.

Moody’s Analytics estimates the surge has cost U.S. households a combined $100 billion—around $750 per household.

Last month, Trump announced a 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran aimed at halting hostilities after months of negotiations as Washington and Tehran struggled to reach agreement on such key issues as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of Iran’s nuclear program.

However, the agreement has drawn criticism from some Republicans, who argue it grants Tehran major concessions while postponing key U.S. objectives.

But voters appear doubtful the truce will hold. Two-thirds (66 percent) said the agreement would do little to improve stability—or could even make the region less stable—while only 20 percent believed it would lead to peace.

Meanwhile, the poll suggests the conflict is weighing on Trump’s political standing as Republicans seek to defend their congressional majorities at the midterms.

Overall, 36 percent of voters said they approve of the president’s job performance, down 2 points from the previous month. Support among independents fell more sharply, dropping 8 points to 21 percent.

The survey also found Democrats gaining momentum ahead of the midterms.

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In the generic congressional ballot, Democrats led Republicans by 6 points, with 44 percent of respondents backing the Democratic candidate compared with 38 percent for the Republican candidate—an increase from the Democrats’ 4-point advantage a month earlier.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

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