Approval Rating Drops to New Low
President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to a record low, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll concluded on Monday. The survey found that just 33% of respondents approved of Trump's performance, down from 35% earlier in August. This ties the lowest approval rating he recorded during his first term, reached in December 2017.
The poll also showed that 13% of Americans and 35% of Republicans "strongly approve" of the president's job performance, indicating a decline in the intensity of support even among his base.
The approval rating drop comes amid multiple challenges, including the ongoing conflict with Iran, economic concerns, and controversial policies such as tariffs on Canada and the promotion data centers.
Iran Conflict Drags on Support
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted over four days, showed that support for US military action against Iran fell to 31%, down from 37% in March and 34% earlier this month. Support for conflict has remained below 40% since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
The decline was largely driven by fewer Republicans backing the conflict. Some 69% of Republican respondents now support the war, down from 77% in March.
The war has also weighed on Trump's public standing. The conflict has paralyzed a fifth of the global oil trade and triggered a surge in gasoline prices, which is straining American households. Trump, who had pledged the conflict would take only a few weeks, now faces a public that largely expects an extended involvement.
Indeed, 80% of Americans—including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans—believe US involvement in Iran will continue for an extended period. Just 16% think the conflict will end within a few weeks. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll from July found that 69% of Americans believed Trump had not clearly explained the goals of US military involvement in Iran.
Trump, however, has defended the cost of the war. At a rally in Garden City, New York, on Friday, he said that paying "a tiny little bit more for your gasoline" was worth the cost of ensuring "a very evil country" could not possess a nuclear weapon. Yet only one in five Americans, and just half of Republicans, believe the war with Iran has been worth it.
Economic Concerns and Partisan Shifts
The poll reveals deep economic pessimism. Only 4% of Americans rated the economy as "very strong," despite Trump's claim that the U.S. is in an economic "golden age." The survey also shows a shift in voter preferences regarding the economy: for the first time in about a decade, Democrats lead on the issue. Specifically, 38% of voters trust Democrats to handle the economy, compared with 35% who prefer Republicans.
Republicans are also losing ground on immigration, an issue central to Trump's political brand. The latest poll shows 40% of registered voters prefer the Republican approach to immigration policy, while 38% prefer the Democratic approach. This lead of just two percentage points is the lowest of Trump's term, down from 26 points in January.
Public Discontent with Tariffs and Data Centers
The administration's trade policies, particularly the confrontation with Canada, have also drawn public opposition. A CNN poll earlier this year found that 65% of Americans said Trump's tariffs had a negative impact on their personal finances. Even when tariffs as a whole were less opposed last year, his initial Canada levies were unpopular from the start: between 60% and 64% of Americans opposed them.
Despite this, Trump threatens to escalate the trade dispute, including imposing a 50% tariff on Canada and suggested renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Two-thirds of Americans opposed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to "the Gulf of America," a similar move.
Further, a Marquette University Law School poll found that 75% of Americans opposed making Canada the 51st state. Vice President JD Vance, who had referred to Canada as a "state," later described his remark as a "Freudian slip." These aspirations to annexational-style policies have faced broad opposition.
Data Centers: A New Front
Another point of contention is data centers. As many as 7 in 10 Americans oppose the building of data centers in their own communities, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. Trump, however, has praised data centers as "big, strong, bold, and Money Machines" and called them "Cash Cows." He has also criticized Republicans who support moratoriums on data centers, which is of a policy that enjoys public support but conflicts with his advocacy.
Conclusions
The polling landscape paints a picture of a president whose approval has slipped to record lows, driven by a prolonged war, economic anxieties, and policies that often enjoy scarce public support. While Trump's base-friendly approach may energize his core supporters, the majority of the public appears dissatisfied with several key aspects of his agenda and personal style. As the midterm elections approach, these numbers may serve as a warning sign for the Republicans.