Attacks are being carried out on the energy infrastructure in the Middle East – with devastating consequences for the global economy.Image: keystone
March 26, 2026, 7:51 p.mMarch 26, 2026, 7:51 p.m
The Israeli and US attacks on Iran are plunging the entire Middle East into crisis. Both sides do not shy away from attacking critical infrastructure, with devastating consequences for the local population and global trade. The war is now also leaving its mark on US domestic politics.
Donald Trump has lost massive support since the offensive in Iran, according to a recent survey by the Reuters news agency the opinion research institute Ipsos shows. According to this, 62 percent of those surveyed currently think that the US President is doing a bad job. Only 36 percent are satisfied with Trump. Before the war, the approval rate was 40 percent.
graphic: Reuters/ipsos
Reuters writes:
“Americans’ opinion of Trump regarding his economic policies and the cost of living has deteriorated significantly as gasoline prices have risen sharply since the coordinated U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Only 25 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, an issue that has been at the heart of his 2024 presidential campaign.”
Ipsos figures further show that approval of Trump’s economic policies has fallen to 29 percent. That is another 3 percentage points lower than the low point during the Biden administration. So US citizens are dissatisfied with the consequences of the war for them, but what do they think about the war itself?
This is how the US population thinks about the war
The opinion research institute Pew Research Center conducted its own survey and the results published on Thursday night. They show: A majority (61 percent) of Americans condemn the intervention by the USA. In contrast, 37 percent believe the procedure is correct.
The deep polarization in the USA is clearly visible: While 90 percent of Democratic voters reject the war, 69 percent of Republicans see it as necessary. But a gap is also opening up among Trump’s own electorate: While older people tend to agree, younger Republicans are critical.
Trump is also losing support among young Republicans.Image: keystone
What’s also exciting is that a majority (53 percent) of those surveyed believe that the war is basically going well for the USA. 25 percent even think the war is going “very” or “extremely well” for the US armed forces. Here too, the results differ massively depending on party affiliation. 46 percent of Republicans think the war is going “very” or “extremely well.” Among Democrats, 69 percent say things are not going well.
Government in poor position for midterms
At the beginning, Trump spoke of the war in Iran as a “short trip”. However, many Americans now believe that the war could last for months. Only 8 percent of those surveyed believe that the war will continue for less than a month. 29 percent are more likely to assume that there will be fighting in the Middle East for over a year.
Trump wants to prevent this, especially with a view to the midterm elections in November. The US government currently holds razor-thin majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, all signs currently point to a Democratic victory, which would reduce Trump’s ability to act in the second half of his term in office. (leo)