COST-OF-LIVING CONCERNS DRAG TRUMP APPROVAL TO RECORD LOW, EVEN AMONG REPUBLICANS

Tue 22 September 2026:

Donald Trump’s approval has sunk to a new low of 32%, a Reuters/Ipsos poll finds, as rising Republican discontent over living costs weakens his standing within his own party.

Republican support fell to 73% from 82% the week before. In the prior Reuters/Ipsos survey, his overall approval was 35%.

The slide comes as inflation and household expenses look increasingly like a political weakness heading into the Nov. 3 midterms.

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Republicans Turn on Cost of Living

Only 17% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, which voters identified as the leading issue shaping their November vote.

For the first time, Republican respondents who disapproved of Trump’s performance on living costs outnumbered those who approved.

Among Republicans, 51% disapproved and 44% approved.

The reversal marks a significant shift for a president who returned to the White House in January 2025 after campaigning on promises to curb inflation and end foreign wars.

Trump’s approval stood at 47% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly after his inauguration.

Iran War Adds Economic Pressure

Republican dissatisfaction over inflation has increased since Trump launched the war against Iran in February.

The conflict has driven gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher and disrupted access to a significant share of Middle Eastern oil and gas production.

Only 34% of respondents approved of the strikes on Iran.

Trump initially said the conflict would last several weeks and argued that military action was necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Earlier this month, he said the war would end “immediately after” the election.

Iran has shown no sign of capitulating, while Tehran and its allies have threatened further disruption to global oil markets.

Some 82% of respondents said they expected the conflict to continue for an “extended period of time.” That included nine in 10 Democrats and three-quarters of Republicans.

Midterm Warning for Republicans

The deterioration in Trump’s ratings coincides with weaker support for Republicans ahead of elections that will determine control of Congress.

Registered voters favored Democrats over Republicans by 43% to 35% when asked how they planned to vote in the midterms.

The eight-point gap was the largest Democratic advantage recorded in Reuters/Ipsos polling this year.

Loss of either chamber of Congress could complicate Trump’s ability to advance his agenda during the final two years of his term.

The nationwide figures offer a broad measure of partisan preferences but do not capture the state- and district-level contests that will determine control of the House and Senate.

Immigration Remains a Republican Strength

Trump continues to retain strong backing among Republican voters on immigration.

Some 79% of Republicans approved of his approach. Among Americans overall, however, 36% approved and 55% disapproved.

Republican lawmakers have warned that the administration’s aggressive deportation campaign could alienate voters with recently immigrated family members, including some Hispanic voters.

On crime, 35% of respondents approved of Trump’s approach, compared with 50% who disapproved.

Trump’s latest overall rating is below the lowest level recorded for Joe Biden during his presidency. Biden reached 35% in late October 2024.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online over four days and completed on Sunday. It surveyed 1,277 U.S. adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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