President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The four-day poll completed on Monday showed 34% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House, down from 36% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey, which was conducted from April 15 to 20.
The price hikes are weighing heavily on American households and fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the U.S. Congress in the November midterm elections.
While a solid majority of Republicans – 78% – still say they back Trump, 41% of the party say they disapprove of his handling of the cost of living, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Independent registered voters, a group that could be decisive in the midterms, favored Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, when asked who would get their vote in congressional elections. One in four said they were still undecided.
Trump won the 2024 presidential election on promises to bring down prices after several years of high inflation vexed his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. Now Trump’s approval rating on the economy – at 27% – is well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration, and also lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.
While the U.S. conflict with Iran has cooled since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month, Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf, fueling further increases in U.S. and global energy prices as oil reserves decline.
Just 34% of Americans approve of the U.S. conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.