The political costs of the US war against Iran came into sharp focus Wednesday as a new poll revealed President Trump’s approval rating had fallen to a record low of 36%. The drop was driven primarily by soaring fuel prices caused by Iran’s virtual blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and growing unease about the direction of the conflict. With approximately 59% of Americans saying the war had gone too far, the administration faced mounting pressure to find a way out.
The diplomatic picture was not encouraging. Iran rejected the US ceasefire proposal delivered through Pakistan and submitted its own five-point counter-plan, including demands for war reparations and Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. These conditions are fundamentally at odds with US war objectives. Trump publicly insisted a deal was reachable, but the gap between the two sides’ positions remained enormous.
Oil markets had already sent prices surging globally due to the Hormuz blockade, which chokes off approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply. The economic ripple effects were being felt far beyond the Middle East, contributing to broader inflation and energy uncertainty. The administration was reportedly considering seizing Iran’s Kharg Island to force the strait open, but Iran warned it would respond with devastating military force.
The military campaign was being prosecuted with considerable success by objective measures, with US commanders reporting the destruction of most of Iran’s navy and much of its missile production capacity. Israel was simultaneously pursuing its own aerial campaign against Iran and ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Yet the war showed no signs of ending, and each week of continued conflict added to the political and economic pressure on Washington.
Trump’s supporters and critics alike were asking whether the administration had a clear endgame. The White House pointed to the four-to-six-week timeline and Trump’s scheduled Beijing trip on May 14 as evidence of a plan, but concrete progress remained elusive. Iran’s parliament speaker, military officials, and foreign ministry all projected confidence that Tehran would not be coerced into an unfavourable settlement, raising the prospect of a protracted conflict with no clear resolution in sight.