Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest level of his second presidential term, according to a new national poll, as voters express growing concern about the economy and the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.
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A survey conducted by the New York Times and Siena College found that the US president’s approval rating now stands at 37%, the lowest since he returned to office in January 2025. The results come as the United States approaches congressional midterm elections in November, when control of Congress will again be contested.
Presidential approval ratings are often viewed as an indicator of how the party holding the White House may perform in upcoming elections.
Voters critical of Iran war
The poll suggests widespread dissatisfaction with the administration’s decision to enter the conflict with Iran alongside Israel earlier this year.
Nearly two-thirds of voters surveyed said the decision to join the war was wrong. Less than one-quarter of respondents believed the conflict had been worth the cost.
The fighting began after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February, a move that has contributed to rising global energy prices and economic pressure in the United States.
The issue gained further attention last week when Trump said that Americans’ financial hardship was not influencing his approach to negotiations with Iran.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” he said when asked whether economic pressure might encourage him to seek a peace deal.
Rising costs weigh on voters
Economic concerns appear to be a central factor behind the decline in the president’s ratings.
The average price of fuel across the United States has climbed to about $4.52 per gallon, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA). A year earlier, the nationwide average stood at $3.18 per gallon.
In the poll, 64% of voters said they disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy. The president also received negative assessments from a majority of voters on issues including the cost of living, immigration and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Among independent voters, 47% said the president’s policies had personally harmed them, compared with 41% who expressed that view last autumn.
Decline in support over time
Trump’s approval rating had already been trending downward before the latest developments.
By October 2025, roughly nine months after he returned to the presidency, his approval rating had fallen to 42%, according to research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Analysts at the time said much of the political momentum from his election victory had dissipated.
Other factors have also affected public opinion. The administration’s aggressive deportation policies drew criticism after confrontations with federal agents resulted in the deaths of two US citizens.
However, analysts suggest the decision to join Israel in military action against Iran — and the resulting surge in oil prices — has accelerated the decline in support.
Some voters who backed Trump have voiced concern. John Johnson, a 78-year-old contractor from Crescent Springs, Kentucky, said rising fuel prices were affecting many households.
“Everybody’s suffering from gas prices,” he said.
He also questioned the handling of the conflict, adding that it “could have been handled differently, diplomatically more so.”
Democrats face their own challenges
Despite the drop in Trump’s popularity, the poll indicates Democrats may not be benefiting significantly from the shift in public sentiment.
Only 26% of voters said they were satisfied with the Democratic Party. Among Democratic voters themselves, 44% said they were dissatisfied with their own party.
The findings highlight a volatile political landscape as the United States approaches the midterm elections later this year.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 19 May 2026
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