President Trump's approval rating has plummeted to 33%, marking the lowest level of his presidency according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted through August 17. The survey found that 64% of Americans disapproved of his performance, down from a 35% approval rating earlier in August. This latest figure ties Trump's previous presidency-wide low recorded in December 2017 and represents the lowest approval rating of his second term. The poll was conducted online over four days among 1,166 US adults nationwide with a margin of error of about three percentage points.
Public concern over the US conflict with Iran appears to be the primary driver of Trump's approval decline. According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, around 80% of respondents expect US involvement to continue for some time, while only 16% think the conflict will end within a few weeks. The view cuts across party lines, with 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans expecting a prolonged conflict. Only about one in five Americans said the war was worth fighting, with support remaining limited even among Republicans. Rising gasoline prices and disruptions to global oil trade linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have also added to economic concerns. Trump has defended the cost of the conflict, saying slightly higher fuel prices are justified if they help prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
A new Financial Times poll reveals significant deterioration in voter sentiment toward President Trump's economic performance. According to the survey conducted by Focaldata from August 7-10, more than 53% of registered voters say their finances have deteriorated since Donald Trump returned to the White House. The poll surveyed 1,913 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Among party lines, Democrats were most pessimistic with 78% saying they were worse off, compared to 57% of independents and 42% of Republicans who reported improved financial conditions. With less than three months to go before November's midterms, these findings suggest economic challenges may influence voter behavior in upcoming elections.
The latest polling reveals concerning signs for Trump and his party ahead of November's midterm elections. According to Financial Times, 51% of Americans say they'd vote for a Democrat over a Republican in November's midterm elections, while 45% preferred the Republican. On the critical issue of jobs and the economy, more voters said they trusted Democrats over Republicans - potentially the worst sign in the poll for the GOP, which credited support on those issues for Trump's victory over Kamala Harris in 2024. The Reuters/Ipsos poll points to a potential challenge for Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections, with Democrats holding an edge on economic and cost-of-living issues, while the Republican advantage on immigration has narrowed.
Despite the challenging polling, the White House has defended its economic record amid the Iran war concerns. As reported by Financial Times, White House spokesman Kush Desai stated that the Trump administration continues to deliver on affordability agenda by lowering drug prices, reshoring American jobs, and cutting taxes while touting a historic drop in violent crime nationwide and the most secure border in history. The findings arrive less than three months before November's midterms, where Trump is not on the ballot but the elections typically function as a referendum on the sitting president's leadership. With less than three months to go before the November midterm elections, these polling numbers suggest economic concerns and the prolonged Iran conflict may significantly impact voter decisions, particularly as the US-Iran war has contributed to higher borrowing costs and increased prices for fuel and consumer goods.
