Trump’s approval rating on Iran after deal signed—What polls show

Only about one-third of Americans approve of President Donald Trump‘s handling of Iran, a new survey from the Associated Press found as he signed a new Iran deal, while polling from YouGov suggested most Americans do not believe the outcome of the months-long war was a success for the United States.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Wednesday at the Palace of Versailles in France that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz—the waterway through which one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas transited before blockades caused global energy prices to spike—and extend a ceasefire for a 60-day negotiation period while the countries discussed the future of Iran’s nuclear program.

The Iran war has posed a political challenge for Trump, who campaigned on a promise not to start any new wars and whose approval rating fell amid criticism of the war, as well as its economic consequences, including higher gas prices.

The toll it took on Trump’s approval could be a concerning sign for Republicans as they defend their majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Newsweek on Friday that Trump “brokered an excellent, performance-based MOU that advances the interests of the United States.”

“What the President has achieved on the battlefield and at the negotiating table is nothing short of remarkable and will strengthen American security for many years to come,” she said.

What Is Donald Trump’s Approval Rating on Iran?

The AP-NORC poll, conducted as the president suggested a deal had been reached, found that 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s overall job performance, while 62 percent disapprove.

When it comes to Iran, just 34 percent of Americans give Trump positive marks, while 65 percent disapprove, according to the poll, which surveyed 3,040 adults nationwide. However, it is Trump’s handling of the economy that has the lowest approval—33 percent approve of his economic performance, compared to 66 percent who disapprove.

Republicans still generally give Trump praise, with 78 percent approving of the president and 21 percent disapproving. Among independents, a critical voting bloc, however, 71 percent disapprove of Trump, and 26 percent approve.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said the war has “gone too far,” compared to 25 percent who say military action has been “about right” and 18 percent who believe it has not gone far enough.

Americans Skeptical US Will Be ‘Better Off’ After Iran War

Only 31 percent of Americans believe the country will be better off after the war, according to a YouGov poll of 2,894 adults on June 18. Twenty-five percent believe the country will be in roughly the same position, while 27 percent said the country will be worse off.

An additional 17 percent said they are unsure whether the country will be better or worse off due to the war.

On the other hand, 36 percent of respondents said they believe Iran will be better off, 26 percent said the country will be about the same, while 18 percent said Iran will be worse off, YouGov found, with 21 percent being unsure.

Iran Deal Faces Chilly Bipartisan Reception

Trump’s Iran deal has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, wrote on X that it was “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” in a post that has more than 2.4 million views.

“Reagan is rolling over in his grave. Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future. Now, Iran gets to build brand-new infrastructure under this deal,” he wrote.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member on the Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the deal as “disastrous” in a statement released Wednesday.

“President Trump launched a war that never should have happened, promised it would weaken Iran and strengthen America’s position and instead delivered a deal that amounts to complete capitulation. Not a single stated objective of this war has been achieved,” she wrote.

Vice President JD Vance defended the deal during a press conference on Thursday.

“Have a little bit of faith in the president of the United States,” he said. “The idea that he is going to strike a deal that’s been bad for the American people, it’s preposterous. He is the person who has had the courage to fundamentally transform our relationship with Iran, and with a lot of other countries over the last year and a half.”

Trump Defends Peace Deal

Trump on Friday took to Truth Social to defend the outcome of the war.

“The War has diminished Iran! It doesn’t, any longer, have an Air Force, a Navy, Antiaircraft Equipment, Radar, or practically anything else, and yet the Dumocrats say that Iran is better off now than it was four months ago. Can you imagine getting away with that??? How stupid can some people be???” he wrote.

Israel Strikes Lebanon Despite Peace Deal

Israel said it carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight into Friday, after Israel’s military said four soldiers were killed in fighting with the Iran-backed group, despite the peace deal.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 18 deaths and said dozens were wounded in some of the heaviest bombardments in recent weeks, with strikes hitting multiple towns in the south and hampering rescue efforts. Israel, meanwhile, said four of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, while five others were injured in a drone attack.

Earlier, after the Israeli military reported the deaths of its soldiers, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said “all of Lebanon must burn” in a post on X.

“I told the prime minister, even in our private meetings: For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep,” his post said. “Enough with the ping-pong. In the Middle East, you don’t win with measured responses and restraint—you need to go berserk. To obliterate. To crush the terror.”

The fighting is a key threat to the Iran deal.

On Thursday, Vance urged Israel not to criticize the deal. He said many of the weapons that have protected Israel were built and paid for by Americans, and that Israeli critics of Trump should “wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.”

“If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said.