What did the AP-NORC poll show?

Public unease in the United States over the war with Iran has surfaced again in a new nationwide survey. According to research released Thursday by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 69% of U.S. adults believe the U.S.-Israel war against Iran is not worth the cost. That marked a five-point increase from July.

In the poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 adults, 71% of respondents also said they disapprove of how Donald Trump is handling Iran. The findings suggest the war is shaping attitudes not only as a foreign policy issue but also as a domestic political concern affecting voters.

  • 69% of adults said the war in Iran is not worth it.
  • 71% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s Iran policy.
  • The overall picture is more negative than it was in July.

Economic frustration and price pressures came to the fore

The poll found that dissatisfaction over the war is deepening alongside economic worries. Only 17% said they approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while approval of his overall management of the economy fell to 26%, a new low.

Nearly half of respondents said they are seriously worried about being able to afford gas for their vehicles, up from 39% in July. Similarly, about half of those surveyed said they are highly concerned about affording groceries.

Republican voters’ assessment

Despite the economic strain, two-thirds of Republicans in the poll said unusually high prices were caused by factors beyond Trump’s control. About one-third, however, said rising prices were directly tied to Trump’s policies.

Overall, more than half of adults said both the national economy and the country’s general direction have worsened since Trump returned to office in 2025.

Trump responds to the poll as midterm campaigning ramps up

The data was released as Trump launched his midterm campaign in Texas and Oklahoma to mobilize his Republican base. The poll came at a moment when concerns about the war in Iran’s economic fallout were weighing on voter sentiment.

In an interview with TIME magazine, Trump was asked whether the war could hurt his party in the November elections. He said it was possible, but argued that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons should help Republicans politically. When asked about his declining poll numbers, he dismissed the survey firms as unreliable and claimed the negative figures did not reflect reality.