A fresh Reuters/Ipsos survey released Tuesday paints a grim picture for the White House: only 24% of Americans believe President Trump's military conflict with Iran was worth the enormous price tag. The five-day poll, which closed Monday and surveyed 1,262 U.S. adults nationwide, shows that half of respondents say the war was not worth the tens of billions of dollars spent, the service members killed or wounded, the damaged military installations, and the energy crisis triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The survey also reveals deep skepticism about the administration's diplomatic efforts. A majority, 63%, think it is unlikely that the preliminary deal signed last week between the U.S. and Iran will lead to lasting peace. Only 18% believe the agreement will hold. Moreover, more Americans say the U.S. is now in a weaker position relative to Iran than before the conflict—35% versus 23% who see a stronger position.
The poll comes as the Pentagon has told senators it needs roughly $80 billion, mostly to cover the costs of the Iran war. The White House Office of Management and Budget has not yet made a formal request to Congress, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been on Capitol Hill this week to build support amid high skepticism over Trump's ability to end the conflict. Compounding the challenge, the White House has requested a historic $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon, a heavy lift as many Americans grapple with inflation and high gas prices. GOP fiscal conservatives have already expressed resistance to the massive defense spending push.
Arriving in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday ahead of an event to highlight American workers, Trump was asked whether he believes Americans support the $80 billion ask at a time of economic strain. Trump claimed that not only do Americans support the request, “they demand it because they won’t allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 17 signed a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which one-fifth of the world’s energy flows in peacetime. In return, Washington eased U.S.-led sanctions on Tehran.
Despite the deal, lawmakers are pushing for a swift withdrawal of U.S. troops from the conflict. The Senate on Tuesday voted 50 to 48 to approve a House-passed resolution directing Trump to do so, though the measure does not have the force of law. Four GOP lawmakers broke ranks to support it. The resolution had passed the House 215-208 earlier this month. The vote came after a heated clash between Trump and Senator Bill Cassidy, who later received an Iran briefing from Vice President Vance.
The poll underscores a broader public fatigue with the Iran war and doubts about the administration's strategy, even as Trump insists Americans back his approach. The coming weeks will test whether the White House can secure the funding it seeks amid rising congressional and public skepticism.
