Trump Approval Drops To 37% In New York Times/Siena Poll Over Iran War And Fuel Prices

President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to 37% in a New York Times/Siena College poll conducted May 11 to May 15 among 1,507 registered voters nationwide, with the survey finding nearly two-thirds of voters said Trump made the wrong decision by going to war with Iran.

The Guardian reported the same Times/Siena figure, saying Trump’s approval declined to 37% and that nearly two-thirds of voters said entering the conflict had been the wrong call.

ABC News

The poll also tied the political slide to cost pressures, with the Guardian citing a nationwide average US fuel price of almost $4.52 per gallon, up from $3.18 a year ago.

In the Reuters-linked Times/Siena results, 52% opposed further military action if diplomacy with Iran fails, and 63% said presidents should not launch military action without congressional approval.

The Guardian added that Trump said: “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” when asked if economic hardship was motivating him to seek a peace deal.

The Times/Siena poll described by Newsweek put Trump’s second-term low at 37% approval while showing 64% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy and 69% disapprove on the cost of living.

Newsweek also framed a Democratic brand problem, saying “Just 26 percent of voters say they are satisfied with Democrats,” while 44% of Democrats described being unsatisfied with their party.

Al Jazeera

The Guardian reported that only 26% of voters said they were satisfied with the Democratic party and that 44% of Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with their own party.

On the war itself, the Guardian said fewer than one in four Americans said the war had been worth the costs, and it reported that Trump’s approval rating has declined to its lowest point since his return to office in January 2025.

The Hill added that 64% of those polled said they think the war in Iran was the wrong decision, while 30% said they agree it was the right decision.

The Times/Siena poll results described by Mint suggested Democrats gained an early advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with a hypothetical matchup showing 50% of registered voters would support Democratic candidates versus 39% for Republicans.

Mint reported that Democrats also held an 18-point lead among independent voters, while the poll found 69% of independents disapproved of Trump’s job performance and 47% said Trump’s policies had personally hurt them.

The Guardian said the poll is not a straightforward win for Democrats, noting that 26% of voters were satisfied with the Democratic party and that 44% of Democrats expressed dissatisfaction with their own party.

USA Today reported that the poll was published May 18 and that it found 37% approve of Trump’s job performance, with the poll conducted May 11-15 among 1,507 registered voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

USA Today also cited Pentagon officials telling lawmakers on May 12 that the cost of the war nine weeks in was $29 billion, while it reported the average price of a gallon of regular gas as of May 18 was $4.515.