Politics April 28, 2026 01:10 PM

Trump Approval Falls to New Low as Cost-of-Living Worries and Iran War Weigh on Public Support

Reuters/Ipsos poll shows 34% approval; public disapproval linked to rising gasoline costs and a recent security incident

By Jordan Park
Trump Approval Falls to New Low as Cost-of-Living Worries and Iran War Weigh on Public Support

A Reuters/Ipsos national poll completed over four days and released April 28 finds President Donald Trump's overall approval rating at 34%, the lowest of his current term. The survey points to growing dissatisfaction with his handling of the cost of living and notes the broader political backdrop of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran and a recent alleged assassination attempt at a White House event.

Key Points

  • Overall approval for President Trump has fallen to 34%, down from 36% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.
  • Only 22% of respondents approve of his handling of the cost of living, a decline from 25% previously; rising gasoline prices linked to the Feb. 28 conflict with Iran are cited in the poll.
  • Most poll responses were collected before the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner; federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to the lowest point of his current term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday. The four-day nationwide online survey recorded 34% of respondents saying they approve of the president’s performance, down from 36% in the previous Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted April 15 to 20.

The poll’s timeline means most answers were collected before a Saturday night incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where the president had been scheduled to speak. Federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.

Public backing for the president has trended downward since he took office in January 2025, when 47% of Americans approved of his job performance. The recent slide in popularity has coincided with an armed conflict that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran - a confrontation that the poll associates with a rise in gasoline prices.

Voters appear particularly dissatisfied with Trump’s handling of cost-of-living issues. Only 22% of respondents approved of his performance on the cost of living, down from 25% in the earlier Reuters/Ipsos survey. The poll indicates that concerns about everyday expenses are a significant factor in overall ratings.

The survey was conducted online across the United States and collected responses from 1,014 adults. The reported margin of error for the national sample is 3 percentage points.


Contextual notes:

  • The four-day poll was completed on Monday and records a decline from the prior mid-April survey.
  • Most responses predate the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner; prosecutors have since charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.
  • Approval on management of the cost of living is notably low at 22%.

This polling snapshot underlines shifting public sentiment in the months since the president assumed office in January 2025 and highlights immediate issues flagged by respondents: elevated gasoline prices linked in the poll to the February 28 outbreak of war involving the U.S. and Israel, and a recent high-profile security incident tied to a White House event.

Risks

  • Economic pressure from higher gasoline prices - an issue highlighted by poll respondents - can further amplify cost-of-living concerns; this primarily affects consumer spending and the energy sector.
  • A high-profile security incident tied to a White House event creates uncertainty in the political environment and could influence public sentiment in the near term.
  • Continuing declines in public approval introduce uncertainty around political stability and policymaking, which can affect investor sentiment in sectors sensitive to consumer confidence.

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