Donald Trump’s increasing unpopularity with conservative voters who are dissatisfied with his second term was given voice in interviews with Reuters, who appear to be ready to take out their frustrations on Republicans on the ballot in November.
The disaffection stems from a toxic combination of failures: the controversial Iran war agreement, punishing tariffs that have gutted small businesses, and a litany of broken campaign promises.
The Iran deal has proven particularly damaging. Trump’s interim agreement to end the war with Iran—which reopened the Strait of Hormuz, lifted U.S. oil sanctions on Iran, and authorized a $300 billion reconstruction fund—has dragged his approval to historic lows.
Juan Rivera, 26, a Trump voter who recently canvassed Latino voters near San Diego, captured the sentiment bluntly, telling Reuters: “He criticized his predecessors about negotiating with terrorists, and he’s basically done the same exact thing.”
Rivera’s frustration extended beyond hypocrisy. He recalled that conservatives are so “demoralized” by the president’s handling of the war that they’ve lost all motivation to support Republican candidates in the midterms.
“A lot of people say: ‘Why should I vote when the president’s not doing what he promised?'” Rivera claimed.
Steve Egan, 65, a Tampa businessman, said he “soured on Trump” in 2025 when tariff-triggered price hikes devastated his business. The Iran deal only deepened his alienation. Egan now views the war as a “strategic failure” that accomplished nothing beyond jacking up gas prices.
“Right now it doesn’t seem like it’s been worth it to go through all that,” Egan said, noting that the stated goal of regime change “didn’t happen.” His contempt for the president has reached such depths that Trump’s endorsement would be “the kiss of death” for any candidate seeking his vote.
Robert Billups, 35, of Washington state, represents another crucial shift: the defection of swing voters. While cautiously optimistic the Iran peace deal might hold, he believes the war has spawned more hostility toward the United States than it prevented.
Vice President JD Vance, who led negotiations with Iran, has fallen sharply in Billups’s estimation, who admitted he was wavering when it comes to the 2028 presidential election.
“Whoever has a better strategy this time, I’m gonna vote for them regardless of their party,” he warned.
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