Why is Donald Trump’s approval rating falling in the Reuters/Ipsos poll?

The poll links the drop to rising dissatisfaction over the cost of living and the unpopular Iran war. Republicans, who had been more supportive, have also become less positive about his handling of everyday expenses.

How low did Donald Trump’s approval rating fall in the Reuters/Ipsos poll?

It fell to 32 percent, which the poll described as the lowest point of his political career. A week earlier, the same poll had put his overall approval at 35 percent.

What did the Reuters/Ipsos poll say about Republicans and Trump’s handling of living costs?

For the first time in this poll series, Republicans who disapproved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living outnumbered those who approved, 51 percent to 44 percent. Overall, only 17 percent of respondents approved of how he is handling that issue.

Trump approval falls to career low of 32% as high costs bite, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

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Summary

President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to 32 percent, a new low in his political career, in a Reuters/Ipsos poll in Washington. Republicans also grew less supportive, with 73 percent approving of his job performance, down from 82 percent a week earlier. The poll found only 17 percent approved of his handling of the cost of living, while dissatisfaction over that issue has grown amid the Iran war. The survey questioned 1,277 US adults online and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Key Facts

The Reuters/Ipsos poll closed on Sunday and found Trump’s overall approval at 32 percent, down from 35 percent a week earlier.
Among Republicans, 73 percent approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 82 percent in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Only 17 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living.
The poll gathered 1,277 responses from US adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

By Reuters

Published Sep 22, 2026 3:35 am KST

U.S. President Donald J. Trump looks on as he makes an announcement on healthcare in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., Friday. Reuters-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's approval rating fell to 32 percent — the lowest of his political career — as his fellow Republicans soured on his handling of the cost of living amid the unpopular Iran war, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The four-day poll, which closed on Sunday, showed 73 percent of Republicans approved of Trump's job performance, down from 82 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll a week earlier. His overall approval stood at 35 percent that week.

Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 on promises to tame inflation and end foreign wars. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the hours after he was first sworn in, he enjoyed a 47 percent approval rate.

Just 17 percent of respondents in the new poll approved of his handling of the cost of living — the top issue Americans say will determine how they vote in the November 3 midterm elections, when Trump's Republicans are defending narrow congressional majorities.

Dissatisfaction among Republicans on the subject has been growing since Trump launched the war on Iran in February that has pushed gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher. Now for the first time, Republicans who disapprove of Trump's handling of the cost of living outnumber those who give him a thumbs up — 51 percent to 44 percent.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online and gathered 1,277 responses from US adults nationwide. It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

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