Trump Approval Sinks To Record Low As War With Iran Drives Cost-Of-Living Concerns

President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

“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”

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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.

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The Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 22% of poll respondents approved of Trump’s performance on the cost of living, down from 25% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.

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.

The poll also reported that the approval rating on the economy was at 27%, and that it was “well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration.”

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted nationwide and online, gathering responses from 1,269 U.S. adults including 1,014 registered voters, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll tied Trump’s declining approval to Americans’ cost-of-living concerns and to an unpopular war with Iran that has been linked to gasoline price increases.

The poll said 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.

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It also said the response shut down a fifth of the global oil trade, and that the price hikes were weighing heavily on American households.

The poll further reported that the gasoline price increases were fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the U.S. Congress in the November midterm elections.

While a solid majority of Republicans—78%—still say they back Trump, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 41% of the party say they disapprove of his handling of the cost of living.

The poll reported that independent registered voters favored Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, when asked who would get their vote in congressional elections, and that one in four said they were still undecided.

It also said Trump won the 2024 presidential election on promises to bring down prices after several years of high inflation vexed his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.

The poll stated that the U.S. conflict with Iran has cooled since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month, but that Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf, fueling further increases in U.S. and global energy prices as oil reserves decline.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll coverage also referenced a Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was due to speak.

“By Jason Lange WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll”

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The Reuters story said the majority of responses were gathered prior to that Saturday night shooting, and it noted that it “remains to be seen if the incident” might affect people’s views of the U.S. leader.

The Reuters account described the incident as one in which “a gunman was stopped before he could enter a hall where Trump was dining.”

It further said that federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.

The WTVB version of the Reuters text repeated that the majority of responses were gathered prior to the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, and it again said the gunman was stopped before entering a hall where Trump was dining.

The Dawn version, also citing Reuters, stated that the four-day poll completed on Monday showed 34 per cent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House and that the poll was conducted nationwide and online.

Dawn’s text also 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.

Across the Reuters-based accounts, the shooting is presented as a factor that could potentially influence views, but the poll’s timing is emphasized as preceding the incident for most respondents.

Beyond cost-of-living concerns, the Reuters/Ipsos poll measured approval of Trump’s handling of the U.S. conflict with Iran and reported that support was down compared with earlier readings.

The poll said “Just 34% of Americans approve of the U.S. conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March.”

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It also said the U.S. conflict with Iran has cooled since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month, but that Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf.

The Reuters text linked those constraints to “further increases in U.S. and global energy prices as oil reserves decline.”

The poll also placed Trump’s approval in a longer-term context by noting that during Trump’s first administration, his popularity hovered around 40% for long stretches, and that the latest reading remains a touch above the low point of his first term, which was 33%.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also compared Trump’s current economy approval to his earlier term and to Biden’s weakest economy rating, stating that Trump’s approval rating on the economy “is well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration, and also lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.”

In the Reuters-based reporting, the war with Iran is described as unpopular and as continuing to affect energy prices even after a ceasefire.

The combination of the war’s perceived handling and the gasoline price surge is portrayed as shaping public sentiment in the poll results.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll results are framed as having immediate political implications tied to the November midterm elections and to how Americans view Trump’s cost-of-living handling.

“WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll”

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The Reuters text said the price hikes were fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the U.S. Congress in the November midterm elections, and it paired that with the finding that 41% of Republicans disapprove of his handling of the cost of living.

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It also reported that independent registered voters favored Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, and that one in four remained undecided, suggesting a potential opening for Democrats in congressional elections.

The poll’s economy approval at 27% was described as being “well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration,” and the Reuters text also said it was lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.

The Reuters-based reporting also said the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted nationwide and online, gathering responses from 1,269 U.S. adults including 1,014 registered voters, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

In addition, the Reuters story said it “remains to be seen if the incident” at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner might affect people’s views of the U.S. leader, while noting that the majority of responses were gathered prior to the shooting.

The combination of the poll’s timing, the war-linked energy pressures, and the midterm electoral stakes is presented as the near-term context for how public opinion may shift.

Across the accounts, the poll’s figures—34% approval overall, 22% on cost of living, and 34% on the U.S. conflict with Iran—serve as the baseline for what comes next in the political calendar.