Donald Trump Disapproval Hits All-Time High in Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos Poll

A Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos poll found President Donald Trump’s approval rating at 37% while his disapproval rating reached 62%, an all-time high across both of his presidential terms, with the poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.

“Two-thirds of Americans say country is headed in the wrong direction: ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll Concerns over the economy and Iran impact Trump's approval ratings”

ABC News

The ABC News report says two-thirds of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction, and it ties the political climate to “concerns over the economy and Iran” affecting Trump’s ratings on multiple issues.

ABC News

USA TODAY likewise reports that Trump’s disapproval hit 62% and that his overall approval is 37%, noting the survey was conducted among 2,560 U.S. adults from Apr. 24-28 with a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points.

The Independent frames the same poll as showing 66% disapproving of Trump’s handling of the Iran war and 76% disapproving of how he dealt with rising prices, while The Washington Post says Democrats hold a five-point advantage in support for Congress, up from two points in February.

Newsweek adds that the poll found Trump viewed negatively “on every issue measured,” including the economy, immigration, inflation, taxes and foreign policy.

In the ABC News account, Trump’s approval is described as having ticked down from 39% in February to 37%, while disapproval rose from 60% to 62%.

The same ABC News report says fully 85% of Republicans approve of Trump, but that the share who “strongly approve” has dropped, with 45% of Republicans strongly approving and 95% of MAGA Republicans approving overall.

The poll results place the economy and the Iran war at the center of Americans’ dissatisfaction, with multiple outlets tying disapproval to cost-of-living pressures and gas prices.

ABC News says the Iran war has pushed the global economy into an oil crisis and that “gas prices reach a four-year high,” while it reports majorities disapproving of Trump’s handling of every issue measured, including inflation and the economy.

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The Independent similarly says 76% disapprove of how Trump dealt with rising prices and that roughly 72% disapprove of how he has handled inflation, while it reports gas prices at an average of $4.44, “according to AAA motor club.”

USA TODAY reports that Trump performed worst on cost of living, with 76% disapproval and 23% approval, and it lists inflation at 72% disapproval and 27% approval.

Forbes adds that the poll found 76% disapproved of his handling of the cost of living in the U.S., 72% disapproved of his handling of inflation, and 66% disapproved of the war with Iran, and it notes that the pollsters previously found 61% of adults called the war a “mistake.”

WRIC ABC 8News reports that “Seventy-two percent of poll participants disapproved of how Trump is handling inflation” and that 76% disapproved of how he is handling the cost of living in the U.S., while it also says core inflation hit “3.5 percent” in March.

In the ABC News account, disapproval is also high on immigration, with 59% disapproving and 40% approving, and it says Trump’s best issue is the U.S.-Mexico border situation where 54% disapprove and 45% approve.

Beyond issue-by-issue ratings, the poll coverage also emphasizes Americans’ views of Trump’s personal fitness and trustworthiness, with multiple outlets reporting majorities expressing doubts.

ABC News says that about 7 in 10 Americans say Trump is not honest and trustworthy, two-thirds say he does not carefully consider important decisions, and about 6 in 10 say he does not have the mental sharpness to serve as president.

The Independent similarly reports that “Almost six in ten Americans say he does not have the mental sharpness to serve as president,” and it adds that roughly 55 percent say the “79-year-old president” is not in good enough physical shape for the role.

Newsweek also describes the poll as showing negative views across eight policy areas, while it quotes Trump’s pushback on negative interpretations, including his statement to NewsMax: “It is a problem I'm not on the ballot. Everyone says if I was on a ballot we'd win in a landslide. I have some of the best poll numbers I've ever had.”

Le Nouvel Obs and Le Parisien both discuss popularity and unfavorable opinions, with Le Nouvel Obs saying the Post poll showed only “42% favorable opinions” and that “43% of Americans strongly disapprove of Trump's performance,” while Le Parisien reports that “55% of Americans disapprove of the way Donald Trump is carrying out the presidency, compared to only 39% in favor.”

The Independent includes a specific political exchange, quoting Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin from Maryland asking for a comprehensive cognitive assessment after Trump threatened to destroy the Iranian civilization, and it quotes White House spokesman Davis Ingle saying, “Lightweight Jamie Raskin is a stupid person’s idea of a smart person,” and that Trump has “unmatched energy.”

USA TODAY adds a party and voter context, reporting that Democratic approval is even lower at 5% with 95% disapproving, and it says among independents overall Trump’s approval is 25%.

The poll coverage links Trump’s ratings to the political calendar, describing how Democrats’ congressional advantage and voter motivation could shape the November midterm elections.

The Washington Post says six months ahead of the November midterm elections, Democrats now hold a five-point advantage in support for Congress, up from two points in February, and it frames the Republican Party’s political climate as deteriorating amid dissatisfaction with Trump’s leadership on the Iran war and other key issues.

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USA TODAY similarly reports that among registered voters in the poll, Democrats are favored more than Republicans in House elections by five points, up from a two-point edge in February and October polls.

The Independent says the polling could spell bad news for Trump ahead of November’s midterm elections as Republicans look to keep control of both houses of Congress, and it notes that the GOP currently has slim majorities in both chambers.

Newsweek adds that the poll’s findings suggest Trump’s governing position could be weakening and that voters would be more inclined to vote for a Democratic candidate if a U.S. House of Representatives election was held today.

MS NOW reports that Democrats hold a five-point advantage on which party people favor in House elections, and it says the leverage grows to nine points among registered voters who say they are “absolutely certain to vote.”

Forbes also reports the same five-point advantage, stating that 49% of respondents would vote for Democratic candidates versus 44% for Republicans, “up from a two-point advantage held in February.”

While the core poll figures are consistent across many outlets, the reporting diverges in how it contextualizes those numbers and what additional details it foregrounds, including comparisons to other polls and the framing of Trump’s claims.

USA TODAY notes that Trump’s disapproval is 62% and says the overall approval is 37%, but it also compares the result to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released April 28 that put Trump at 34% approval, calling it “a record low in that survey's history,” and it references the New York Times’ daily average as 39% approval and 58% disapproval as of May 3.

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Newsweek emphasizes that the poll was released on April 30 and highlights that Trump’s approval dropped to 37% from 39% in February, while it also quotes Trump’s NewsMax remark that “It is a problem I'm not on the ballot.”

ABC News provides a different layer by describing how Trump’s approval is “buoyed by his party's faithful,” stating “Fully 85% of Republicans approve of Trump,” and it adds a breakdown of strong approval and MAGA Republicans, including that MAGA Republicans are “self-described supporters of the MAGA movement and make up 66% of the Republican Party.”

The Independent and WRIC ABC 8News both report the same disapproval levels on inflation and cost of living, but WRIC ABC 8News adds specific operational details about the war and allies, including that Trump said Saturday he “will pull about 5,000 U.S. troopsfrom Germany” and that 65% of poll respondents said Trump is handling U.S. relations with allies poorly.

Le Nouvel Obs and Le Parisien shift the focus to popularity and policy evaluations at the “100-day” milestone, with Le Parisien claiming the poll found “77% of Americans disapprove of cuts to funding for medical research” and “66% disapprove of the closure of the Department of Education,” while Le Nouvel Obs highlights “42% favorable opinions” and “96% of his voters say they have no regrets.”

Even within the same poll ecosystem, the outlets differ in what they treat as the headline takeaway, with The Washington Post emphasizing Democrats’ congressional advantage, while The Independent emphasizes disapproval on Iran war and prices and quotes Trump’s statements about gas prices.