CNN/SSRS poll finds 78% say Trump not doing enough to end Iran war
A CNN and SSRS poll released Tuesday found that 78% of Americans said President Donald Trump is not doing enough to end the conflict with Iran, and nearly two-thirds said the United States is not winning the war. The poll came as the Senate voted 49-50 on Thursday to reject a war-powers resolution calling on Trump to end the conflict.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted for the war-powers curb for the first time Thursday, breaking with Trump and citing rising gasoline, diesel and fertilizer prices as a political liability for Republicans. Tillis joined three other Senate Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — in backing the measure. Collins, Murkowski and Paul had supported earlier versions calling on Trump to end the war. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote against.
In remarks to The Hill, Tillis said the war has lasted too long without congressional approval and has become a political liability for Republicans because of its impact on gasoline, diesel and fertilizer prices.
“We’re reaching a point to where we just need answers,” Tillis told the outlet. “We got to know what success looks like.”
He also pointed to what he described as a “consistently downward-trending negative reaction” from the public since the war began in February.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to go,” Tillis added. “So, we’re afraid it could be a forever war. It’s a war that’s obviously hurting people economically. Why are we doing this? What is the goal?”
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the same war-powers resolution 214-208 in July.