Poll: Most Americans say Trump hasn't clearly explained Iran war as support for Israel slips

A growing majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump has not clearly explained U.S. military involvement in Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, raising political concerns as public support for Israel has also declined across much of the American political spectrum.

The survey found that 69% of Americans – including four in 10 Republicans – believe Trump has not "clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran." The findings could complicate public support for the conflict, particularly as critics argue that U.S. involvement primarily benefits Israel rather than serving broader American interests.

Israelis have watched with alarm as antisemitism has risen across Western countries over the past three years while support for the Jewish state has declined across political, cultural and demographic groups.

When asked about the poll, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump is not in the habit of making decisions based on "fluid opinion polls" and furthermore, "What matters most to the American people is having a commander in chief who takes bold action to keep them safe."

Recent polling also shows Independent voters favor the Democratic candidate over the Republican candidate by wide margins in the upcoming congressional elections, and Democrats continue to receive higher approval ratings on economic issues.

Alex Conant, a Republican political strategist and a White House spokesman during the presidency of George W. Bush, said the sharp rise in gasoline prices resulting from Iran's interference with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could further hurt Republicans politically and "puts pressure on the party in a myriad of ways, all of them bad. The White House officials have been saying since January that they need to win economic arguments. It's hard to win the economic arguments when you're clearly focused on foreign policy."

Polling also suggests Americans broadly support some of the objectives Trump has previously outlined, including helping the Iranian people challenge their government and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

However, support for the war itself stood at only about 40% even in its early stages, an unusually low figure in the United States, where foreign military conflicts have historically produced a strong "rally around the flag" effect at the outset.

While confidence in the U.S. military remains relatively strong, trust in many American institutions has fallen to historic lows. Congress, the Supreme Court, the education system and the news media are each trusted by fewer than 40% of Americans, with some surveys placing confidence even lower.

Support for Israel has also declined within both major political parties, particularly among younger voters, although Republicans remain more supportive of the Jewish state than Democrats.