President Trump's job approval rating has dropped to its lowest point of his second term, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey released Tuesday. The poll, conducted Friday through Monday, found that just 33% of 1,166 respondents approve of the president's performance, while 64% disapprove. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
That marks a 2-point decline from a Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Aug. 4 and ties the lowest approval rating Trump recorded during his first term, which he hit in December 2017. When Trump began his second term in January 2025, his approval stood at 47% with 41% disapproval, but his disapproval rating has remained above 50% since late February.
The president's standing has been dragged down by the ongoing war with Iran, which he launched alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Days before the conflict began, Trump's disapproval rating was already 58%, and it has not recovered since. The war, which Trump initially predicted would wrap up in about a month, has dragged on through the spring and summer without a lasting agreement on curbing Iran's nuclear program.
The conflict has hit Americans' wallets, particularly through Iran's restrictions on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. gas prices have stayed above $4 a gallon all summer, after AAA reported them at under $3 just two days before the war started. Energy prices were up 14.7% year-over-year last month, according to the consumer price index, with annual energy inflation peaking at 23.5% in May.
Trump has defended the economic pain, saying Friday that it is worth it for Americans "to pay a tiny, little bit more" for gas to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. "So remember that, when you have to pay a little bit more, you're at $4, it's okay. … I'll never apologize, I did the right thing," he said at an event in Garden City, N.Y.
The public is pessimistic about the conflict's trajectory. Eight in 10 respondents to the latest poll said the Middle Eastern war will last a long time, including 71% of Republicans, 80% of independents, and 87% of Democrats.
Republicans on the campaign trail are grappling with the economic fallout, though they have tried to pivot by painting recent Democratic primary victories as evidence that the left has embraced "socialism." The political landscape remains uncertain: Decision Desk HQ forecasts Democrats have a 66% chance of retaking the House and a 45% chance of winning the Senate, up 3 points from a month ago.
The president's approval troubles come as he faces legal battles and criticism from both parties over his handling of foreign policy. Some lawmakers have raised alarms about his decisions, including cuts to military drills with South Korea, which a retired colonel called an "unforced error." Meanwhile, the White House has escalated a war of words with a Democratic senator critical of Trump's approach.
As the war grinds on and economic pressures persist, Trump's approval rating appears unlikely to rebound soon. The latest Reuters/Ipsos numbers underscore the challenge he faces in maintaining public support for a conflict that many Americans believe will stretch on indefinitely.
