Nearly half of Republicans oppose a key measure in President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war with Iran, according to a new poll from the Economist and YouGov.
Forty-eight percent of Republicans polled believe that the United States should not provide Iran with $300 billion for reconstruction and economic development, with only 23% in support and 29% of unsure. Those numbers were mirrored among Democrats.
Trump has insisted that U.S. taxpayer dollars are not at stake and that the reconstruction fund will be fronted by the Gulf States. The details of the fund will only be finalized after 60 days, per the Trump administration’s memorandum of understanding with Iran.
The Economist-YouGov poll found that 40% of Republicans support Trump’s plan to unfreeze Iranian assets and provide sanctions waivers for Tehran to sell its oil abroad. That proposal finds slightly more support among Democrats, 42% of whom support it.
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Republicans reacted to other elements of Trump’s memorandum of understanding more positively. A significant majority said that the Strait of Hormuz should be opened toll-free for 60 days as the U.S. and Iran negotiate the final deal. The Republican consensus is also that the U.S. and Iran should negotiate to dispose of Tehran’s enriched uranium.
The poll results come as President Donald Trump received a symbolic rebuke in the Senate, which passed a resolution on Tuesday demanding an end to the war. While the vast majority of Republicans opposed the resolution, four GOP senators broke ranks and joined Democrats in supporting it.