Trump's approval drops to new record low as Iran war shakes US economy - poll

Jerusalem Post/US PoliticsAt 33%, Trump’s approval rating sank eight percentage points from a year ago, falling below any level recorded during his first and second terms as president.Follow us on GoogleUS President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally to support Republican House of Representatives candidate Ed Gallrein and Senate candidate Andy Barr, at Truist Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky, US, October 17, 2026(photo credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)OCTOBER 19, 2026 05:38Updated: OCTOBER 19, 2026 05:43US President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to a record low of 33%, with 66% of US adults disapproving of his performance, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Sunday.The survey also found that 52% of Americans strongly disapproved of Trump, with the US midterm elections just two weeks away. The poll showed respondents losing faith in the president amid mounting economic fallout from the war with Iran on Americans' everyday lives, according to analysis from the WP.At 33%, Trump’s approval sank eight percentage points lower than a year ago, dropping below any point recorded during his first term as president.The WP-ABC poll also revealed that, for the first time in over a decade, voters view Democrats as more trustworthy on the economy than Republicans.As both major political parties vie for control of the House of Representatives, the polling found Democrats holding an eight-point lead among registered and likely voters, reflecting an upward trend from past surveys, according to the WP.People hold signs at a ''No Kings: Vote Early'' protest as part of a coordinated nationwide day of action aimed at encouraging early voting in the upcoming midterm elections in San Francisco, California, US, October 17, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)Iran war central for voters ahead of midterm electionsAffordability and economic concerns continue to be central issues for voters, but Trump’s economic approval rating dropped to 28% in the latest survey, with 48% of respondents saying they were worse off financially than when Trump returned to office in 2025.The WP reported that this represented the highest percentage of respondents to say so about any president in WP-ABC polling since 1986.Voters cited the rising price of fuel as the steepest cost concern. Since the outbreak of the war with Iran, gasoline prices have jumped by up to 50% in some states, according to NBC News, with 71% of respondents calling gasoline unaffordable.Respondents also broadly disapproved of Trump’s handling of the conflict, with 65% saying they believed the war in Iran was a mistake.Follow us on Google