Most Americans believe President Donald Trump is not paying enough attention to the country’s biggest challenges as the conflict with Iran continues, with growing dissatisfaction over the economy, rising
prices and the war in West Asia, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
The survey found that a record 73% of US adults believe Trump has not focused enough on the nation’s most important problems, while only 27% said he has set the right priorities. The findings come as public opinion on the Iran conflict continues to worsen, alongside persistent concerns over the economy and Trump’s handling of key domestic issues.
Americans unhappy with economy and Iran policy
Roughly two-thirds of respondents said Trump’s policies have made economic conditions worse, while a similar share said his military decisions in Iran have harmed the United States.
According to the poll, 65% said Trump’s economic policies have worsened conditions in the country, compared with 22% who said they had improved the economy. Another 13% said they had made no difference.
On Iran, 67% said Trump’s military decisions had hurt the US, while 21% believed they had helped. Twelve per cent said they had made no difference.
The poll also found that around three-quarters of Americans believe Trump is out of touch with the problems ordinary people face every day.
Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 34%, matching the lowest level of his presidency previously recorded at the end of his first term following the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Half of those surveyed said they strongly disapproved of his performance, while only 15% strongly approved.
Even within the Republican Party, Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 78%, the lowest recorded among his party supporters. Just 19% of Republicans said they were enthusiastic about the remainder of his second term, down sharply from 38% last spring.
Majority expect prolonged conflict
Trump’s weakest approval ratings were linked to Iran and the economy. Only 28% approved of his handling of the Iran situation, while 25% backed his approach to inflation and 21% approved of his handling of petrol prices.
Public confidence in Trump’s strategy on Iran has also declined. The poll found that 74% believe he does not have a clear plan for handling the conflict, compared with 67% in March. Only 26% believe he has a clear strategy, down from 33%.
A growing majority expect the conflict to continue. About 71% said a long-term military conflict between the US and Iran is likely, compared with 63% in March. Only 17% said such a conflict was unlikely.
Three in four respondents also questioned whether the war was worthwhile. Around 74% said the conflict was not worth the loss of American lives and the financial cost to the government, while only 25% believed it was justified.
The economic impact is also being felt. Around 74% said higher petrol prices had caused them at least some hardship, up from 63% in March. Just under one-quarter believed Trump had a plan to address rising fuel costs, while 71% said he had not done enough to reduce the price of everyday goods.
Construction projects and earnings draw criticism
The poll also found widespread criticism of Trump’s high-profile projects in Washington, DC.
A majority of 58% said they felt dissatisfied or angry about projects including a new White House ballroom and the renovation of the Reflecting Pool. Only 17% reacted positively, while 25% said the projects did not matter to them.
Views on Trump’s personal earnings were similarly negative. Around 57% said it was a bad thing that Trump earned more than $2 billion in 2025 while serving as president through cryptocurrency holdings, royalty payments and property investments. Only 7% viewed it positively.
Among Republicans, 43% expressed positive feelings about the construction projects, while 35% said they did not matter. Most Republicans also viewed Trump’s earnings while in office as irrelevant, although among those with an opinion, more regarded them negatively than positively.
The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS between July 23 and July 27 among 1,225 US adults through online and telephone interviews. The margin of sampling error was ±3.2 percentage points, rising to ±5.9 percentage points for some subgroup findings.
