Trump’s approval rating sinks to new low as the Iran war drives affordability concerns for Americans
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dipped to a new low as the Iran war drives affordability concerns for Americans.
Just 34 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job as president, while a whopping 64 percent disapprove, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. This is the lowest approval rating of Trump that the polling partnership has found since the president returned to the White House in January 2025.
The majority of responses were taken before the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday. The suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
When asked specifically about their view on Trump’s handling of inflation and rising prices, only 21 percent approved of the president’s job, while a striking 70 percent disapproved.
open image in galleryIt’s been about two months since the U.S. and Israel began launching strikes against Iran. While a ceasefire is currently in effect, officials in Washington and Tehran have struggled to even get to the negotiating table for peace talks.
As the war rages on, it’s everyday Americans who are feeling the burden of the costly military campaign. U.S. gas prices have surged thanks to Iran’s effective closure of the vital oil passageway, the Strait of Hormuz, and the subsequent U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The average cost of regular gas in the U.S. has reached about $4.18 per gallon, according to the AAA motor club. Diesel is up to about $5.46 a gallon, which can lead to an increase grocery prices, shipping costs and even the cost of homes and renovations, thanks to the construction industry's reliance on the fuel.
Energy prices caused inflation in March to soar, but Trump has brushed it off as “fake inflation.” According to the new poll, Americans are not buying what the president is selling.
open image in galleryA majority of Americans, 53 percent, in the poll said the war in Iran has not been worth it, compared to 25 percent who said it was a worthwhile cause.
Trump has insisted Iran poses an imminent threat to the Americans due to its nuclear ambitions and development of long-range missiles. His administration has stressed Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and give up its enriched uranium.
open image in galleryIran has proposed a new plan to the U.S. that would reopen the Straight of Hormuz but postpone negotiations over its nuclear program, Axios reported Sunday, citing a U.S official and two other sources with knowledge of the matter. The White House has confirmed that Trump did discuss the proposal with his national security team.
When asked whether Iran’s proposal would be acceptable to the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News Monday, “I’m not going to speculate about the president’s decision-making on this matter. Suffice it to say that the nuclear question is the reason why we’re in this in the first place.”
While the Iran war has worsened affordability concerns, Americans have been worrying about their financial situation for years.
A new Gallup poll found that a record 55 percent say their financial situation is getting worse. This is the fifth consecutive year where more Americans say their finances are worsening rather than improving, similar to Americans' economic concerns during the Great Recession in the early 2000s, Gallup said.
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