Donald Trump’s approval rating is stuck at a humiliating low two months ahead of the midterm elections.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted Aug. 21-24 among 1,215 U.S. adults, shows just 33 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance.
That matches his approval rating earlier this month, which was the lowest recorded in Reuters/Ipsos polling across either of his presidencies.
The brutal number lands as Trump’s war with Iran loses public support and the midterm elections draw closer, threatening to turn his sinking popularity into a major problem for Republicans fighting to hold Congress.
Only 31 percent of respondents said they support U.S. military action against Iran, down from 37 percent in March and 34 percent earlier this month.
Support among Republicans has also slipped, from 77 percent in March to 69 percent.
That is largely due to the war’s impact on energy markets after Iran restricted oil exports from the region.
Gas prices have since jumped from roughly $3 a gallon to more than $4, squeezing household budgets and striking directly at one of Trump’s central campaign promises: bringing inflation and everyday costs under control.
Trump has signaled that he intends to intensify the economic squeeze on Tehran, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that the administration was considering broader sanctions against countries that continue trading with Iran.
But for now, the threat remains just that, with no new penalties announced.
That means there is still no clear resolution on the horizon. And the latest polling suggests Americans are increasingly bracing for a long and costly conflict.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that some 83 percent of Americans now believe the war will continue “for an extended period of time,” up from 80 percent earlier this month.
That is particularly ominous for Republicans heading into the midterms, as they try to hold onto voters who backed Trump on his promise to avoid starting any lengthy new military conflicts.
And the numbers point to a potentially brutal midterm outlook for Republicans.
Among independent voters, Democrats held a commanding 33 percent to 19 percent advantage when respondents were asked which party they would support for Congress if the elections were held today.
That comes after Nathan Nascimento, executive director of conservative group AFP Action, told The Washington Post that one in five core Republican voters could be at risk of staying home on Election Day as voters increasingly turn away from Trump.
“This is a scary number,” he said.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
