President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest point during his time in office, with a majority of Americans expressing concern that the U.S. conflict with Iran will extend over a prolonged period, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll concluded on Monday.
Only about one-third (33%) of those surveyed approved of Trump’s performance, while 64% disapproved. This marks a decline from a 35% approval rating earlier this month and represents the lowest level of support he’s experienced in his current term, tying the all-time low set in December 2017.
Trump’s standing in the polls took a hit after he launched military strikes on Iran in partnership with Israel, which led to disruptions in roughly 20% of global oil trade and caused a rise in gasoline prices. These developments have placed financial pressure on U.S. households and added to challenges faced by Trump’s Republican allies ahead of the November midterm elections.
During his campaign, Trump promised to control inflation and avoid lengthy wars. He initially assured that the conflict with Iran would only last a few weeks and justified the military action as essential to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capable of threatening global security. However, Iran has shown resilience, maintaining much of its oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz even as tensions simmer.
The poll indicates that 80% of Americans believe U.S. involvement in Iran will persist for an extended period, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans. Only 16% think the conflict will conclude within a few weeks.
The survey was conducted online with responses from 1,166 adults across the United States, and it carries a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.