Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds Rural Americans Cut Support For Donald Trump Over Fuel And Food Costs

A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted June 3-8 found President Donald Trump’s approval rating among rural Americans fell to 50%, down from 60% in February 2025, while rural disapproval rose to 48% from 34% shortly after he returned to office.

“Rural America Turns on Trump as Fuel and Food Costs Squeeze Farm Communities Rising fuel, fertilizer, and food costs are eroding Trump's rural support, raising concerns for farmers and Republicans ahead of midterms”

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The Independent reported the online poll surveyed 4,531 US adults nationwide, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points for rural areas and 2 points overall.

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The poll’s rural decline is tied to concerns over rising fuel and food costs and foreign policy decisions, with The Independent linking the petrol-price worries to the Iran conflict.

The Independent also said Trump secured rural voters by a 40-point margin in the 2024 election, an increase from 31 points in 2020 and 25 points in 2016, as exit poll analysis by Pew Research Center showed.

Brian Rauch, a 42-year-old Air Force veteran from Stevensville, Montana, told The Independent that he faces a 30-mile drive to the doctor’s office as higher petrol prices and increasing food costs squeeze his household.

Rauch, who voted for Trump in the last three presidential elections, said, "We’re in bigger water fights with AI, we’re all paying more for groceries and we’re all paying more for gas," and added, "My day to day is negatively impacted and I haven’t seen these other benefits."

The Independent

The Independent reported that Bryan Shaver, a 62-year-old insurance agent in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, said persistently high food prices were a key frustration for a long-time Republican supporter.

Shaver, who voted for Trump in 2024, warned, "I have a feeling we’re going to be in big trouble in November," as he linked economic pressures to potential harm for the party in the midterms.

The Independent said the shift in rural sentiment could pose a challenge for the Republican party in the upcoming November midterm elections, with polling data showing only 31 percent of rural respondents approved of Trump’s stewardship on cost-of-living and US economy issues.

“Rural America Turns on Trump as Fuel and Food Costs Squeeze Farm Communities Rising fuel, fertilizer, and food costs are eroding Trump's rural support, raising concerns for farmers and Republicans ahead of midterms”

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Agrolatam | Other reported that the Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 31% of rural respondents approve of Trump’s handling of economic and cost-of-living issues, while 61% disapprove.

Agrolatam | Other also described how rising fuel, fertilizer, and food costs are eroding Trump’s rural support, and it warned that diesel prices have reached record highs in several states, adding stress for producers.

The Independent tied the rural economic squeeze to farmers’ burden from rising fertilizer costs exacerbated by the Iran conflict, low crop prices, and curbed exports resulting from Trump’s trade policies, while also noting that rural residents travel an average of 30 miles daily compared to 17 miles for urban dwellers.