President Trump’s Approval Ratings Hit A New Low

With the midterms less than a month away, President Trump’s job approval has hit a new Navigator low. 62% of Americans disapprove of how he is handling his job as president, while just one third (36%) approve. Nearly half (49%) strongly disapprove. 

Views of Trump’s handling of the economy are equally as negative, and also hit a new low, with 65% disapproving (including 50% strongly) and 32% approving. Key constituencies, like Americans ages 18-34 (69% disapprove), Black men (72% disapprove), Black women (90% disapprove), Hispanic women (83% disapprove), and independents (72% disapprove) all disapprove at rates higher than Americans overall.

Iran and Rising Costs Are Top-of-Mind For Americans

The war with Iran is dominating negative news coverage of Trump, along with prices, the economy, and gas. 

On gas prices, inflation and the cost of living, and foreign policy – all issues that have been top-of-mind for Americans and consistently dominate news coverage – Trump’s approval ratings are deeply underwater. 

• 76% disapprove of Trump’s handling of gas prices, including 60% who strongly disapprove. Only 20% approve. 
• 73% disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living, including 56% who strongly disapprove. Only 23% approve. 
• 58% disapprove of Trump’s handling of foreign policy, including 46% who strongly disapprove. Only 34% approve. 

Democrats have gained ground against Republicans on which party people trust to handle foreign policy. 40% now trust the Democratic Party more while only 32% trust Trump and the Republican party. 20% trust neither party. Democrats also hold a significant trust advantage on handling gas prices and the cost of living.  

Opposition to the war with Iran has held steady as the conflict enters its seventh month. 50% of Americans oppose the war while 39% support it. This has remained largely unchanged since March 2026 when 49% opposed and 40% supported the war. Views on whether the war has been worth it are similarly stable, with 31% saying it has been and 59% saying it has not.

What has changed is how Americans view the administration’s strategy. A growing share (62%, up from 56% in April when the war began) say Trump does not have a clear timeline and goals for the military operation, compared with just 28% who say he does. Among those who say he lacks a clear plan, 45% feel this way strongly, up from 37% in April. 

A majority of independents are against the war, with 51% opposed, 58% not viewing the conflict as worth it, and 60% reporting they do not think Trump has a clear timeline and goals. 

There are also significant fractures within the Republican party on the war with Iran. 

• One-in-four Trump 2024 voters now regret their vote and many cite the war with Iran as a top reason. 
• One-in-five (22%) Republicans oppose the war, including 14% of MAGA Republicans.
• One-third (33%) don’t view the war as worth it, including one-in-four MAGA Republicans (26%).  
• 37% don’t think Trump has a clear timeline and goals, including about one-in-four (24%) MAGA Republicans. 

Reminding people of the cost of the war, and driving a contrast with what those billions of taxpayer dollars could have been spent on, remains effective messaging in driving opposition to the war.