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merican President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to the lowest level of either of his presidential terms, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as mounting economic concerns and rising gasoline prices threaten to undermine Republican prospects in November’s crucial congressional elections.
The survey, released Monday, found that just 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in office, down one percentage point from two weeks earlier and marking a new low for the president.
The findings come ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, when voters will determine whether Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and Senate during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Democrats have opened their largest lead of the current election cycle, with 47% of registered voters saying they would support Democratic congressional candidates compared with 35% backing Republicans.
The 12-percentage-point advantage represents a significant widening from the previous Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted two weeks earlier, which showed Democrats leading Republicans by seven points, 44% to 37%.
The results suggest Republicans face an increasingly difficult political environment as voters express frustration with the administration’s handling of the economy and the financial consequences of the war involving Iran.
One of the most significant findings of the latest survey is the growing preference for Democratic candidates among women, a voting bloc that could prove decisive in determining control of Congress.
According to the poll, 50% of female registered voters said they would support Democrats, compared with 32% who favored Republicans, giving the opposition party an 18-point advantage among women.
Male voters also leaned toward Democrats, although by a narrower margin.
The shift has helped Democrats expand their nationwide congressional lead at a time when Republicans are attempting to defend their majorities in both chambers.
A Democratic victory in either the House or Senate would significantly complicate Trump’s legislative agenda, potentially limiting his ability to advance key domestic policies and exposing his administration to greater congressional scrutiny.
However, national polling does not necessarily translate directly into election results.
The congressional generic ballot measures voters’ overall party preferences rather than support for individual candidates in specific races.
Control of Congress will ultimately depend on hundreds of district-level contests and individual Senate races, where electoral geography and Republican structural advantages could influence the outcome despite Democrats’ national lead.
Nevertheless, the widening gap signals a potentially challenging political landscape for the president’s party as the campaign enters its final stretch.
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The latest polling suggests economic dissatisfaction has become a major vulnerability for the White House, particularly following the sharp increase in gasoline prices linked to the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran launched in February.
The conflict has placed additional pressure on American households, with higher fuel costs contributing to broader concerns about living expenses.
According to the survey, 68% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 37% of respondents who identify as Republicans.
The findings indicate that dissatisfaction with the administration’s economic performance extends beyond traditional Democratic voters and has begun affecting confidence within Trump’s own political base.
When asked which party would better manage the economy, 40% of respondents selected Democrats, compared with 33% who favored Republicans.
That finding presents another warning sign for the White House, given the importance of economic issues in shaping voter attitudes ahead of congressional elections.
Trump’s declining popularity also follows months of political controversy surrounding his administration’s foreign policy decisions, particularly the military campaign against Iran and its consequences for global energy markets.
With Republicans facing the possibility of losing one or both chambers of Congress, the November elections are emerging as a critical test of public confidence in Trump’s leadership.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted online over four days and gathered responses from 1,679 American adults, including 1,279 registered voters.
Its margin of error was two percentage points for all respondents and three percentage points for registered voters.
While the poll represents a snapshot of public opinion rather than a prediction of election results, its findings highlight the scale of the political challenge confronting Republicans.
With Election Day approaching, Democrats appear increasingly positioned to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction, while Trump faces mounting pressure to convince Americans that his administration can address their economic concerns.
(Source: Reuters)
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