‘Fake polls’: US President Trump dismisses claims of declining support for Iran war

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday (local) rejected opinion polls showing waning public support for the war against Iran, calling them “fake” during remarks at a small business summit at the White House.

Amid growing indications of public unease over the conflict, Trump criticised polling data that suggested low approval for the military action. “They give me fake polls”, he said. “They did a poll on the war with Iran, and they said only 32 per cent of people like it. Well, I don’t like it, and I don’t like war at all, but we’re equipped better, and we have the greatest military in the world”.

The president also argued that survey questions were framed unfairly. According to Trump, pollsters should instead ask whether Americans believe Iran should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. “It wouldn’t be 32 per cent”, he said. “But even if you said that, there’d be a 32 per cent because the polls are fake. I mean, they’re totally fake”.

Trump says the negative numbers on the war with Iran are “fake” polls pic.twitter.com/M5Tf70ICP2

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 4, 2026

This is the second time in recent days that Trump has lashed out at polling related to the Iran conflict. However, it remains unclear which specific surveys he was referencing, as reported by CNN.

As reported by CNN, a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post in partnership with ABC News and Ipsos found that only 36 per cent of respondents believed the United States made the right decision in using military force against Iran, underscoring the apparent divide between the administration’s stance and public sentiment.

Meanwhile, during a Fox News interview, Trump also suggested that Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacked US vessels involved in the operation ‘Project Freedom’.

According to Fox News, Trump said Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacked US vessels involved in the operation. Fox News also quoted the president saying, “We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before,” adding that US military installations around the world were fully equipped and prepared.

He said, “We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They’re all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.”

Trump also suggested Iran’s stance in negotiations had shifted, saying he believed Tehran had become “much more malleable,” while emphasising that US military deployments in the region were ongoing. Trump said that the American forces had destroyed “seven” small vessels linked to Iran, escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz under “Project Freedom.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran had targeted “unrelated nations” in relation to ship movements, including an incident involving a South Korean cargo vessel, and suggested Seoul should consider joining the US-led effort. “We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left,” Trump said. The Truth Social post came as Trump’s Project Freedom was launched on Sunday (local time).

US media outlets The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), CNN and Axios have emphasised Trump’s chosen word of “guide” rather than “escort” to describe how his new naval mission will work in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump explained that various nations had reached out for American help to ensure their ships could navigate out of the strategic waterway safely. Trump noted that these requests came from “Countries from all over the World, almost all of which are not involved in the Middle Eastern dispute going on so visibly, and violently, for all to see.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had confirmed that officials are currently assessing a counter-proposal from the United States aimed at halting the ongoing conflict, according to a report by Al Jazeera. (ANI)