A new CBS News/YouGov poll has found that a majority of American voters are “frustrated” and “uncertain” about the war on Iran, with three-quarters saying the conflict has proven far more difficult than the Trump administration anticipated, a public rebuke nearly five months into a war that Washington promised would be swift and decisive.
The survey, conducted July 22–24 among 2,193 US adults, found that 58% of respondents described their feelings about the war as “uncertain,” while 57% said “frustrated.”
Only 19% expressed optimism, compared to 36% who said they felt “pessimistic.”
Seventy-five percent of those polled said the war has been harder than the administration expected. Just 4% said it had been easier.
The poll reveals a public that feels deliberately kept in the dark.
Americans reported that they still do not feel they are receiving an honest account of what is happening day to day in the Strait of Hormuz, a perception that has not improved over months of fighting.
A majority said President Trump “makes things sound better than they are,” suggesting a widening credibility gap between the White House and the public it claims to represent.
Majority want the war to end
Despite the administration’s insistence on pressing for further concessions from Tehran, a majority of Americans still prefer ending the war over continuing it.
The sentiment is especially pronounced among younger voters, who are far more likely than those over 65 to say the fighting should stop.
The collapse of the June memorandum of understanding, which the administration itself had hailed as a breakthrough, has complicated the political landscape.
On the war’s domestic costs, half the country says gas prices have become a difficulty or outright hardship, with the Strait of Hormuz disruptions directly linked to rising fuel costs at American pumps.
Those most negatively impacted by energy prices are also the most likely to disapprove of the military action.
A large majority say their incomes are not keeping up with inflation, and most believe the president’s focus on lowering prices is insufficient.
