US President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 36%, according to a Financial Times poll conducted by London-based nonpartisan research firm Focaldata. The survey reveals growing voter dissatisfaction with the administration's handling of foreign policy matters, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran. Independents showed the steepest decline, with approval falling to just 21%, down 8 percentage points from the previous month, while overall approval dropped 2 percentage points from the previous month. The poll surveyed 1,795 registered voters between June 26 and 30 with a margin of error of ±2.7 percentage points.
A majority of 60% of US voters said the war with Iran was not economically justified, as reported by the latest Financial Times poll. This sentiment comes as the White House seeks $67 billion from Congress to cover war-related expenses, highlighting the significant financial burden of the conflict on American taxpayers. According to the White House, most of the funding would go to the US Department of Defense. The conflict has significantly pushed up consumer prices, including gasoline, this year, continuing to pressure the president's approval rating four months before November's midterm elections.
The survey found that 44% of voters said the war left the United States in a weaker position toward Iran, while 31% believed it strengthened Washington's standing, according to the Financial Times poll. These findings suggest mixed perceptions among American voters regarding the strategic benefits of the Iranian engagement. The results also showed skepticism among younger Americans, with an earlier Generation Lab survey of adults aged 18 to 34 finding 77% called the strike the wrong decision. The survey found that 44% said the US now stands weaker against Iran, while 31% said the conflict left Washington stronger.
Voters also expressed significant skepticism over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran. About 66% said the agreement would make little or no difference to peace in the Middle East, as reported by the Financial Times poll, with some respondents expecting the agreement could fuel further conflict in the region. Only one in five said it would lead to peace. The United States and Iran reached a tentative agreement last month to extend the months-long ceasefire, but retaliatory attacks soon followed, reigniting regional tensions.
The survey results arrive at a vulnerable moment for Trump, with control of both the House and Senate at stake in November's midterms. Asked which party's candidate they would support in congressional elections, Democrats led 44% to 38%, widening their edge from four points a month earlier to six points. However, there were positive signs for Republicans, as three-quarters of self-identified Republicans rated their likelihood of voting at 8 or higher on a 10-point scale, compared with 69% of Democrats and 56% of independents. With only about four months until the midterm elections, there are growing predictions that it will be difficult for the Republican Party to maintain its majority, particularly as 35 out of 100 Senate seats are up for grabs, with Republicans currently holding 22 seats and Democrats 13.
