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Trump’s approval hits low
President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll described in multiple outlets.
The Reuters report, carried by WTVB, said the four-day poll completed on Monday showed “34% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House,” down from 36% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from April 15 to 20.
Dawn likewise reported that the four-day poll completed on Monday “shows that 34 per cent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House, down from 36pc in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from April 15 to 20.”
WTVB added that the majority of responses were gathered prior to the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was due to speak.
The Reuters/Ipsos coverage also placed Trump’s approval on the economy at 27%, and said only 22% approved of his performance on the cost of living.
The same Reuters/Ipsos reporting stated that Trump’s standing with the U.S. public has trended lower since taking office in January 2025, when 47% of Americans gave him a thumbs-up.
War with Iran and gas
The Reuters/Ipsos poll linked Trump’s approval decline to Americans’ views of the cost of living and an “unpopular war with Iran,” as described in the WTVB and Dawn accounts.
WTVB said Trump’s popularity took a beating since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, which “has led to a surge in gasoline prices.”
It reported that U.S. gasoline prices have surged more than 40% to roughly $4.18 a gallon since the U.S. and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran on February 28.
WTVB further said the price hikes are weighing heavily on American households and fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the U.S. Congress in the November midterm elections.
The Reuters/Ipsos reporting also described how the conflict with Iran has cooled since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month, while “Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf.”
Dawn echoed the same Reuters framing, saying the war on Iran “led to a surge in gasoline prices,” and that only 22% of poll respondents approved of Trump’s performance on the cost of living.
Shooting at dinner
The Reuters/Ipsos poll coverage also intersected with the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, which Reuters said occurred before Trump was due to speak.
“Subscribe to notifications Get the latest news and updates from Dawn Not Now Allow Notifications Trump approval sinks to record low as war on Iran drives cost-of-living concerns Published April 28, 2026 Updated about 10 hours ago Jump to comments US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans grow increasingly sour on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, _Reuters_ reports citing a new Reuters/Ipsos poll”
WTVB reported that “The majority of responses were gathered prior to the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was due to speak.”
It added that “It remains to be seen if the incident, in which a gunman was stopped before he could enter a hall where Trump was dining, might affect people’s views of the U.S. leader.”
WTVB stated that federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.
The marketscreener page that republished the Reuters item also carried the same overall Reuters/Ipsos theme, stating “Trump approval sinks to new low as war with Iran drives cost-of-living concerns.”
Dawn similarly framed the Reuters report as Trump’s approval sinking to a record low, and it included a Reuters caption about Trump speaking at an arrival ceremony for Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026.
Numbers on voters and party
The Reuters/Ipsos poll results described in WTVB and Dawn included breakdowns by party and by how voters viewed Trump’s handling of cost of living and the Iran conflict.
WTVB said that while “a solid majority of Republicans – 78% – still say they back Trump,” it also reported that “41% of the party say they disapprove of his handling of the cost of living.”
It reported that independent registered voters “favored Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%,” when asked who would get their vote in congressional elections, and it said “One in four said they were still undecided.”
WTVB also reported that “Trump won the 2024 presidential election on promises to bring down prices,” and it stated that “Now Trump’s approval rating on the economy – at 27% – is well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration.”
On the Iran war question, WTVB said “Just 34% of Americans approve of the U.S. conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March.”
WTVB also specified the poll’s sample and uncertainty, saying it gathered responses from “1,269 U.S. adults including 1,014 registered voters” with “a margin of error of 3 percentage points.”
What comes next politically
The Reuters/Ipsos reporting framed the stakes of the approval decline in terms of the November midterm elections and the political environment around gasoline prices and the Iran war.
WTVB said the price hikes are fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the U.S. Congress in the November midterm elections.
It also described how independent registered voters favored Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, and that one in four remained undecided, suggesting a competitive electorate heading into congressional contests.
WTVB connected the approval numbers to Trump’s earlier campaign promise, stating he won the 2024 presidential election on promises to bring down prices after several years of high inflation vexed his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.
It then contrasted that promise with the current economy rating, saying Trump’s approval on the economy at 27% was below readings from his 2017-2021 administration and also lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.
Dawn echoed the Reuters framing that Trump’s approval had fallen to the lowest level of his current term as Americans grew increasingly sour on cost of living and the war with Iran.
