The military venture against Iran, launched with promises of a regional overhaul, has become the political Achilles’ heel for its two main architects. Data collected between April 10 and 12, 2026, reveals that voters in both Washington and Tel Aviv are exhausted—albeit for different reasons. For Donald Trump, the issue is the wallet; for Benjamin Netanyahu, it is the perception of a premature surrender.
In the United States, an Ipsos poll serves as a bucket of ice water on Republican hopes for the November midterms. Only 24% of Americans believe the military action was worth it. Isolationism, once Trump’s signature banner, is now turning against him: the middle class, squeezed by oil prices on the eve of summer, already feels a negative impact (54%) on their personal finances.
The Summer of American Discontent
Analysts like James Green suggest that the conflict with Tehran could be the “kiss of death” for the Republican majority in Congress. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while strategically aggressive, has created a boomerang effect at American gas pumps. With inflation rising and base morale falling, Trump faces the real risk of losing both the House and the Senate, which would paralyze the final two years of his term.
Beyond the economic factor, the government faces a wave of internal popular outrage. From strikes in Minnesota to protests over the handling of the Epstein case, the sentiment on the streets is that the White House has lost its grip. Trump is cornered between an aggressive foreign policy that yields no results and a domestic policy that sparks mass revolt.
Israel: Frustration with “Peace”
Across the Mediterranean, the scenario for Netanyahu is paradoxically worse. While Americans want the war to end, 61% of Israelis oppose the ceasefire announced by Trump. The feeling in Israel is not one of relief, but of betrayal. Netanyahu promised the fall of the Ayatollah regime and an end to the Iranian nuclear program; he delivered an inconclusive conflict and the perception that Israel has become a mere protectorate of Washington.
The opposition, led by figures like Yair Lapid, is capitalizing on the Prime Minister’s inability to deliver a “historic victory.” With 73% of the population believing that fighting will resume in less than a year, the truce is seen as a missed opportunity to settle the Iranian issue once and for all.
The End of an Era?
If elections for the Knesset were held today, Netanyahu’s far-right coalition would crumble from 68 to roughly 50 seats. The PM, who used security as his greatest electoral asset, is now shackled to the strategic failures of October 7 and a war he did not win. In both Washington and Jerusalem, the scent of a changing guard has never been stronger, and the price of blood and oil appears too high for the current occupants of power.
