Two-thirds say Trump hasn’t made a case for Iran war, poll finds

Trump pressed on hantavirus response and WHO withdrawal
Trump defends US hantavirus response and says leaving the World Health Organization was the right decision.
Two-thirds of Americans say President Donald Trump hasn’t made a clear case for going to war with Iran, and almost as many are feeling the financial pinch from rising gas prices caused by the conflict, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released May 11.
On the other hand, the poll shows a slight uptick in Trump’s approval rating, to 36%, slightly lower than several other recent polls. A late April Reuters/Ipsos poll put Trump’s approval at 34% – the lowest mark of his second term. His highest approval in the poll this term was 47% in January 2025.
Monday’s poll of 1,254 adults nationwide, conducted May 8-11, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
About 66% of those polled said Trump hasn’t “clearly explained” U.S. military goals in Iran, and 63% said their financial situation has been impacted by the steep rise in gas prices, according to Reuters.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas is $4.52 as of May 11, according to AAA, with the cost topping $6.15 in California.
The poll also found that 65% of respondents blame the Republican Party for the rise in gas prices, while 27% blame Democrats.
Trump said Monday he wants to suspend the federal gas tax, which currently adds 18.4 cents to the cost of each gallon.




