4 in 5 Americans Expect US-Iran War to Drag On, Survey Finds

A new poll shows 79% of Americans bracing for a long US war with Iran. This comes as President Donald Trump told Congress that military action resumed on July 7, a move that frees the military for 60 more days without congressional approval.

The shift lands months before November’s midterms, where pump prices could cost Republicans their grip on Congress.

Most Americans Now Expect a Long War With Iran

The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,019 US adults over three days, closing Sunday. Only one in five, 18%, still expect the fighting to end within weeks. The rest see no quick exit.

Furthermore, only 37% backed the strikes, which restarted on June 26 after Washington blamed Tehran for hitting commercial ships.

Earlier surveys told a similar story. A Financial Times poll found 58% of voters judged the war not worth the cost. A separate Generation Lab survey of adults aged 18 to 34 found 77% called the strikes on Iran the wrong move.

Hormuz Blockade Reignites Market Fears

On Monday, Trump vowed to seal off Iranian ports near the strait and skim 20% off every cargo passing through. Tehran had already called the channel shut.

“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran… The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’… reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped,” he said.

Follow us on X to get the latest news as it happens 

BREAKING: President Trump has formally notified US Congress that the US is at war with Iran, per Politico.Details include:1. The move gives Trump another 60 days to use the military in the region without congressional approval2. Trump said strikes that began on July 7th…

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) July 13, 2026

Traders moved quickly. Crude climbed roughly 4%, and Bitcoin (BTC) slid to around $62,600 amid fears the chokepoint will remain snarled for a while.

The poll also revealed that 6 in 10 respondents expect gasoline to be costlier over the coming year. Pump prices already sit near $3.87 a gallon, far above where they stood before the war.

Meanwhile, the war has weighed on Trump’s standing. He has claimed a 59% approval rating, yet the New York Times tracker pegs him closer to 39%.

The stakes climb as the November midterms near. His sinking approval adds to the pressure on Republicans, who risk losing the House and possibly the Senate in November.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch leaders and journalists provide expert insights