Donald Trump may be destroying much of Iran but he’s also trashing his own ratings with voters.

G.Elliott Morris –now probably the most reliable US source of political data – has found that Trump has started a war that few Americans support.

He found that support for the US attack starts at 34% support and 44% oppose. The numbers were similar last year when Trump first bombed military targets in Iran just 16% supported getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict with 60% of adults opposing military action.

A YouGov poll on the situation on the first day of the most recent attacks found that 34% of voters approved of attacks on Iran, 44% disapproved and 22% unsure. There was an inevitable partisan split with 45% of Republicans strongly approving and 24% somewhat approving.

In contrast 70% of Democrats either strongly disapproved or somewhat disapproved.

Perhaps more important were the responses of Independents with 42% strongly disapproving and 10% somewhat disapproving.

To put this in context Gallup found in 2001 that 92% of Americans approved of military action in Afghanistan. In 2003 a Pew poll found that 71% supported using force against Iraq. Generally, there was little difference between Republican and Democrat attitudes.

We all know how that turned out.

Morris said: “These numbers represent a small increase in support for US military action in Iran driven by Republican rallying very modestly around President Trump, The Economist/YouGov tracker asked about support for military action against Iran repeatedly from January through late February. The numbers barely moved – 33% in mid-January, 28% in late January, 27% in late February and now back to 34%.”

Morris also pointed out that with Iraq there was a mass propaganda campaign to manufacture consent for war before the invasion began – noting that there was little sign of this before the first bombs fell.

Support for striking Afghanistan and Iraq in polls taken immediately after the first action were all much higher – above 90% – for both Republicans and Democrats.

Of course, Trump’s rationale – if it could be dignified with that word – was that Iran was planning a nuclear attack on the US – seemingly overlooking that Trump had previously claimed that US attacks had destroyed Iran’s nuclear capability.

It should also be noted that Morris pointed out that Trump – unlike many predecessors – had promised during his 2024 campaign that there would be “no new Wars” under his presidency and that the Trump-Vance ticket was the “pro-peace” ticket.

Morris also has a Strength in Numbers Verasight poll which found in February – before the State of the Union speech – that on a generic ballot Democrats lead Republicans 52% to 42%; Presidential approval was at 37% and 59% disapproved; border security was  net 4% plus and is now zero; approval on Government funding and social programs has fallen 7 points to net-26% and approval on Trump’s health care performance also fell.

Only 10% of the population say things are going well in America while 52% say things are going poorly and major changes are needed.

As for tariffs – voters disapproved of them by 21 points.

Elliott Moris said that common mainstream analysis of the last Presidential election was – as the Washinton Post described it – “powered by a historical realignment of the American electorate” where Trump had made the Republican Party into a multi-ethnic, working class party that appeals more to the lower than the upper end of the income scale.”

Morris pointed out that Republican strategist Patrick Ruffini said after the election that “The Realignment is here” echoing comments that Trump had built a new consensus which would remake American politics.

In fact, these new Republican voters were, Morris said, “borrowed rather than won”.  Data for Progress found in March 2026 that 8% of Trump voters are already saying they would vote for Democratic candidates on congressional ballots

Indeed, the Democrats are enjoying their biggest lead in polling on the popular vote for the forthcoming House of Representatives elections.

Among registered voters Democrats lead in the US House popular vote by 52% to 41% – up from the 8% lead in January. Overall polling puts the numbers at 50% to 38%.

What’s driving all this? In the last Presidential election Trump created a coalition built on grievance – not ideology – Morris argues.

“These were voters who tried something new and didn’t like what they got”, he said”

“Trump won in 2024 because of a simple transaction – millions of frustrated voters traded their ballot for the promise of economic relief. They have not forgotten that broken promise.  The broken promise could cost the Republican Party the House and the Senate in 2026 and the White House in 2028. That wouldn’t make for a very impressive realignment,” Morris said.