Most Republicans think President Donald Trump signed his peace deal with Iran just to end the war he started as quickly as possible.
CNN’s data guru Harry Enten told viewers on Monday that two-thirds of voters polled thought the president simply wanted the fighting finished, not that Washington had met its war aims—a view also held by 53 percent of Republicans.
“Look at this, 66 percent of Americans simply think he wanted to end the war, and even among Republicans, his own party, don’t think that, in fact, the Trump administration met its war goals. In fact, they think he wants to just end the war,” Enten said.
Enten added that most Americans didn’t buy Trump’s claims that the U.S. had emerged from the conflict victorious.
“What they think happened was Iran was fighting back, America looked at the chance of victory in terms of what Trump initially laid out as the chance of victory,” Enten said.
“They did not think that that was possibly going to be accomplished. We’re talking about two-thirds of Americans, and even a majority of Republicans did.”
Disapproval of the president’s handling of the conflict ran at 64 percent two months ago, climbed to 66 percent, and sat back at 64 percent this month, with 75 percent of independents unhappy.
“No matter what deal has been made, the clear majority, two-thirds of Americans, still disapprove of the job that Donald Trump is doing when it comes to that conflict,” Enten said.
He added that popular opinion has barely shifted since the president signed an agreement to wind down the war.
“Americans still disapprove of the job that Donald Trump is doing on Iran,” Enten said. “I mean, the polling is quite steady.”
Trump ordered the first strikes on Feb. 28, launching a war that lasted more than 100 days and pushed up gas prices and inflation, hitting his supporters where it hurts most—their pockets.
He signed an initial agreement with Iran on June 17, with the memorandum of understanding opening a 60-day window to negotiate a final peace deal.
The framework, which floats a $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil corridor that the regime had effectively shuttered since the conflict began, has drawn intense fire across the board—even MAGA lawmakers.
The fallout threatens Republicans heading into November’s midterms. Trump’s approval rating is trailing at 38 points, while Democrats have retained an almost seven-point lead on the national congressional ballot.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment on this story.
