Trump approval falls to record low amid Iran war and cost-of-living backlash

United States President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 32%, the lowest point of his political career, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The survey links the decline to growing dissatisfaction over the cost of living and the impact of the Iran war. It also shows weakening support among Republicans, a notable shift for a president who returned to the White House in January 2025 on promises to curb inflation and end foreign wars.

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The four-day poll closed on Sunday and found that 73% of Republicans approved of Trump's job performance, down from 82% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll a week earlier. His overall approval had stood at 35% in that earlier survey. The new poll also found that only 17% of respondents approved of his handling of the cost of living, which the survey identified as the top issue for voters.

The poll was conducted online among 1,277 US adults nationwide and carried a margin of error of three percentage points. The findings suggest that economic pressure is now intersecting with foreign policy concerns in a way that could shape the political environment ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Trump's Republicans are defending narrow congressional majorities, making shifts in voter sentiment especially significant.

The poll also found that Republicans who disapprove of Trump's handling of the cost of living now outnumber those who approve, by 51% to 44%. The Iran war has become a central factor in the political fallout, with the survey saying it has pushed gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher. That has added to the cost-of-living strain facing households and appears to be eroding support even among the president's own party.

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Trump said on Wednesday that the United States was "hopefully toward the end" of its war with Iran, raising the prospect of renewed diplomacy even as fighting continues in Yemen. The poll result also marks a sharp contrast with the start of Trump's second term. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the hours after he was first sworn in, he had a 47% approval rating.

The latest figures indicate that the political benefits of his return to office have been overtaken by public concern over prices and the wider consequences of the conflict. For Republicans, the drop in support is particularly important because it comes at a time when party unity will matter in the run-up to the midterms. What remains unclear is whether the decline is temporary or the start of a longer trend as the war and inflation pressures continue.

The poll does not show how voters will ultimately respond at the ballot box, but it suggests the economy and the Iran conflict are now closely linked in public opinion. The next key test will be whether any diplomatic progress or easing in fuel prices changes the political picture before November.

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