President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 32%, the lowest level recorded during his political career in Reuters/Ipsos polling, as concerns over the cost of living and the war with Iran weigh on public sentiment.
The four-day Reuters/Ipsos survey, which concluded on Sunday, also showed weakening support among Republican respondents.
Trump Approval Falls Among Republicans
According to the poll, 73% of Republicans approved of Trump’s job performance, down from 82% in a Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted one week earlier.
Trump’s overall approval rating had stood at 35% in that previous poll.
The decline comes after Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 with pledges to reduce inflation and avoid prolonged foreign conflicts. Shortly after his inauguration, a Reuters/Ipsos poll placed his approval rating at 47%.
Cost of Living Becomes a Major Challenge
Economic concerns appear to be one of the biggest sources of dissatisfaction.
Only 17% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, according to Reuters/Ipsos. The issue is particularly important ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, when Republicans will be seeking to protect their narrow majorities in Congress.
Among Republicans, dissatisfaction with Trump’s management of living costs has also increased.
For the first time in the survey series, more Republicans said they disapproved of his handling of the issue than approved. The split stood at 51% disapproval versus 44% approval.
Iran War Adds Pressure Through Energy Costs
The decline in economic approval comes as the conflict with Iran continues to affect energy markets.
The war, which began in February, has contributed to disruptions in oil and fuel supplies and has been associated with sharply higher gasoline and diesel prices.
Reuters reported separately that global diesel prices have reached record highs amid supply disruptions linked to conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey found that only 24% of Americans approved of Trump’s approach to the Iran conflict.
Democrats Lead in Midterm Voting Preference Poll
The poll also asked registered voters which party they would support in the upcoming congressional elections.
Democrats received support from 43% of registered voters, compared with 35% for Republicans.
The eight-percentage-point difference was the largest Democratic advantage recorded in Reuters/Ipsos polling during 2026.
However, national congressional polling does not directly predict which party will control Congress. House elections are decided district by district, while Senate races depend on the individual states holding elections.
As a result, nationwide voting preferences provide a broad measure of sentiment rather than a direct forecast of the final congressional outcome.
Immigration Remains Stronger Issue for Trump Among Republicans
Trump continues to receive strong backing from Republican voters on immigration.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 79% of Republicans approved of his handling of immigration.
Across all Americans surveyed, however, 36% approved of Trump’s immigration approach while 55% disapproved.
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that aggressive deportation policies could affect support among voters with recent immigrant connections, including parts of the Hispanic electorate.
Approval Rating Reaches New Reuters/Ipsos Low
Trump’s 32% overall approval represents a significant decline from the 47% measured shortly after he began his current term in January 2025.
The latest result also falls below the approval ratings recorded for former President Joe Biden in Reuters/Ipsos polling during his presidency, according to Reuters.
The latest numbers suggest that inflation, living costs and foreign policy remain important issues shaping public opinion ahead of the midterm elections.
However, approval ratings and national generic-ballot surveys are snapshots of voter sentiment at the time they are conducted. They should not be treated as direct predictions of individual election results.
Reuters/Ipsos Poll Methodology
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online and surveyed 1,277 US adults nationwide.
The survey had a margin of error of approximately three percentage points.
