Even as high-stakes nuclear negotiations carry on behind closed doors in Switzerland, President Trump's standing with the American public shows little sign of recovery. CNN interrupted its regular coverage this week to deliver the latest polling update, and the picture it painted wasn't flattering for the White House.
Harry Enten, CNN's senior data analyst, laid out the numbers plainly. Two months ago, Trump's disapproval rating was at 64%. Last month it ticked up slightly to 66%, and this month it has settled back at 64%. The takeaway, Enten noted, is straightforward Americans disapproved of Trump's job performance before, and they still do now.
Independents Are Especially Critical
Perhaps the more telling figure is where independent voters stand. Enten pointed out that a full 75% of independents disapprove of how Trump has managed the situation with Iran. That's a significant number, given that independents are the voting bloc most campaigns fight hardest to win over.
"Regardless of any deal that was made, the American people still disapprove of the job that Trump is doing with Iran," Enten said during the broadcast.
Americans Don't Think Trump Won
Beyond the approval numbers, the polling also reveals a deeper skepticism about how the US-Israeli conflict with Iran has played out. According to Enten, roughly 66% of Americans believe Trump simply wanted to bring the conflict to an end rather than achieve any kind of decisive victory.
What's particularly notable is that even Republican voters Trump's own base don't appear convinced that the administration met its stated war objectives. The prevailing public perception, Enten explained, is that Iran was actively fighting back and that a clear American victory was never really on the table.
"America looked at their chance of victory they don't think that was going to be accomplished," he said.
Where the Iran Talks Stand
The diplomatic backdrop to all this is a fragile but ongoing negotiation process. Talks between Washington and Tehran have moved to Switzerland and are expected to continue through the rest of the week. The road to getting there was anything but smooth Iranian negotiators reportedly walked out early on after Trump posted a series of threatening messages on social media, including remarks about bombing Iran and even suggestions of detaining members of the Iranian negotiating team.
Qatar and Pakistan stepped in as mediators to keep the process from completely falling apart, continuing back-channel discussions while tensions simmered.
Last week, the two sides did manage to sign a memorandum of understanding that addresses the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. That agreement has now opened a 60-day window for broader discussions around Iran's civilian nuclear programme a modest but significant step forward in what remains an extraordinarily delicate diplomatic situation.
Whether any eventual deal changes how the American public feels about Trump's foreign policy approach remains to be seen. For now, the polls suggest most voters have already made up their minds.
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