US President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell in recent days to its lowest point since he returned to the White House, hit by a surge in fuel prices and widespread disapproval of the war he launched on Iran, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
The four-day poll, completed on Monday, showed 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, down from 40% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week.
Americans’ views on Trump soured significantly with regard to his stewardship over the economy and the cost of living, as gasoline prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28. Just 25% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, an issue that was at the center of his 2024 presidential election campaign.
Trump’s standing within his Republican Party remains mostly strong. Only about one in five Republicans said they disapprove of his overall performance in the White House, little changed from about one in seven last week. But the share of Republicans who disapprove of his handling of the cost of living rose to 34% from 27% last week.
Trump’s overall approval rating was 47% in the first days of his presidency and since last summer had largely held around 40%. It remains above his first administration’s low point of 33%, and a touch higher than Biden’s low of 35%.
The war on Iran could be changing that for a president who took office promising to avoid “stupid wars.” The survey found 35% of Americans approve of the U.S. strikes on Iran, down from 37% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week. Some 61% disapproved of the strikes, compared to 59% last week.
Source: Agencies