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100 days into war on Iran, Trump struggles to rally US support amid public opposition

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • 100 days into the US and Israeli war on Iran, public support in the US remains low, posing a political challenge for President Donald Trump.
  • Polls indicate a majority of Americans view the war as unnecessary and detrimental to US interests, with only 16 percent believing the US is winning.
  • The conflict, which began February 28, has led to significant geopolitical and economic consequences, including soaring oil prices and ongoing skirmishes despite a truce.

One hundred days into the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, President Donald Trump faces a significant political liability as the conflict remains overwhelmingly unpopular among the US public. Despite ongoing fighting and ceasefire negotiations, polls consistently show a majority of Americans opposed to the bombing of Iran, perceiving the war as unnecessary and detrimental to the nation's interests. This lack of public backing could weaken Trump politically, especially with Democrats aiming to regain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.

A University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll revealed that only 16 percent of US voters believe the US is winning the war, undermining the president's repeated claims of victory. The survey also found that a majority of voters, including a substantial portion of Republicans, believe the war has had more negative than positive effects on US interests. Professor Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland described these results as "stunning," noting that this negative assessment among Republicans marks a "major turning point" that could spell trouble for Trump.

What’s really clear is that few Americans think that this war with Iran serves American interests.

— Shibley TelhamiShibley Telhami, a professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland, commenting on public opinion polls regarding the war.

The war, which began on February 28, resulted in the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and numerous officials, alongside hundreds of civilians. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks and shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping lane, causing oil and gas prices to surge. Although a truce was reached on April 6, skirmishes persist in the Gulf, and the Iranian blockade of Hormuz remains active, compounded by a US naval siege on Iranian ports. Despite Trump's frequent assertions of an impending deal, no significant diplomatic breakthrough has occurred, leaving the region in a state of "no war, no peace."

This assessment now that the war has become more detrimental to America’s interests among Republicans is a major turning point because it seems to hold for older as well as younger Republicans, and that I think spells trouble for Trump ahead.

— Shibley TelhamiShibley Telhami discussing the implications of Republican voters' negative views on the war's impact on US interests.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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