MAY 12, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
Two-thirds of Americans say President Donald Trump hasn’t made a clear case for going to war with Iran, and almost as many are feeling the financial pinch from rising gas prices caused by the conflict, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released May 11.
On the other hand, the poll shows a slight uptick in Trump’s approval rating, to 36%, slightly lower than several other recent polls. A late April Reuters/Ipsos poll put Trump’s approval at 34% – the lowest mark of his second term. His highest approval in the poll this term was 47% in January 2025.
Monday’s poll of 1,254 adults nationwide, conducted May 8-11, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
About 66% of those polled said Trump hasn’t “clearly explained” U.S. military goals in Iran, and 63% said their financial situation has been impacted by the steep rise in gas prices, according to Reuters.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas is $4.52 as of May 11, according to AAA, with the cost topping $6.15 in California.
The poll also found that 65% of respondents blame the Republican Party for the rise in gas prices, while 27% blame Democrats.
Trump said Monday he wants to suspend the federal gas tax, which currently adds 18.4 cents to the cost of each gallon.
Courtesy/Source: This article originally appeared on USA TODAY
