A recent poll reveals that Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to an unprecedented low, reflecting growing voter dissatisfaction with the president's handling of economic and cost-of-living issues. With less than two months remaining before the November midterm elections, a national survey conducted by Focaldata shows only 33% of registered voters approve of Trump's performance in office.
This marks the lowest figure recorded since the survey began in May, representing a 3 percentage point decline from the previous month. Even among Republican voters, support for Trump has slipped by more than 2 percentage points to 72%, also setting a new low for this polling series. The survey indicates that voters' increasingly negative perceptions of the economy and living costs are the primary drivers behind Trump's dismal approval numbers, with most respondents rejecting the president's tariff and trade policies.
The poll was conducted amid the Trump administration's ongoing inability to end the war in Iran, a conflict that has pushed up US borrowing costs over the past six months while simultaneously raising prices for fuel and various consumer goods. According to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), diesel prices—the primary fuel for American industry and agriculture—hit an all-time high of $5.85 per gallon last Friday, potentially delivering another inflationary shock to the world's largest economy.
These poll results come as troubling news for the White House, particularly as Republicans strive to maintain control of both chambers of Congress in the November midterm elections. Although Trump himself will not appear on the ballot, midterm elections are widely regarded as a nationwide referendum on the sitting president's performance. Nearly two-thirds of registered voters told pollsters that the American economy is heading in the wrong direction, while 57% of respondents stated that their personal financial situation has deteriorated since Trump took office—a 4 percentage point increase from last month's 53%.
Among Republican voters specifically, only 53% approve of the president's handling of jobs and the economy, a decline of nearly 8 percentage points from the previous month. On trade matters, 56% of registered voters—including more than 60% of independents and nearly one-third of Republicans—disapprove of Trump's latest decision to impose 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada's government has since responded with retaliatory import tariffs of up to 50%, intensifying the US-Canada trade war and fueling concerns that consumers will bear the burden of higher prices.
In the run-up to the midterm elections, Trump has become the centerpiece of Republican campaign efforts. The Republican National Committee is set to host an unprecedented two-day midterm convention this week in Dallas, Texas, featuring Trump as the keynote speaker with the goal of mobilizing voter support. However, the polling suggests this strategy may backfire. Forty-six percent of voters—more than half of them independents—believe Trump will hurt Republican congressional candidates' prospects in the November elections. Additionally, 47% of independent voters say they would be less inclined to support a candidate endorsed by Trump.
When asked about their voting intentions, registered voters gave Democrats a 7.5 percentage point advantage, up from a 5-point Democratic lead last month. This week, several Republican candidates in swing districts revealed they are eager for MAGA Inc.—the super political action committee supporting Trump's presidential campaign—to tap into its $400 million war chest on their behalf. MAGA Inc. disclosed in a filing on Saturday that it will spend $10 million on advertising to bolster Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton against Democratic challenger James Talarico.
A White House spokesperson responded: "While Operation Epic Fury will inevitably bring periodic shocks, President Trump has always been clear about this. This administration remains firmly committed to a proven set of economic policies: tax cuts, deregulation, and ensuring energy abundance. The August jobs report once again demonstrates that these policies continue to create private sector positions, drive American reindustrialization, and ordinary people will reap further economic growth and improved living standards in the future."
The survey was conducted online by Focaldata, a London-based nonpartisan research firm, from August 28 to September 1, sampling 1,914 registered voters with a margin of error of ±2.6 percentage points.