Trump’s Approval Falls to Record-Low 37% in WSJ Survey

President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to a record low in a Wall Street Journal poll of Americans shortly before the midterm elections. In the Journal’s survey, 37 per cent of respondents said they approved of Trump’s job performance. The figure is the lowest for a president in the outlet’s polling for the period shortly before a midterm, stretching back to former President George H.W. Bush.

The closest comparison in the Journal’s series came from George W. Bush’s second term, when 39 per cent approved his job performance in polling conducted shortly before the midterms.

Polling Ahead Of Midterms

The survey was carried out about a month before this year’s midterm elections, as Trump and Republicans face a difficult electoral climate.

The GOP is contending with the ongoing war in Iran, which reached seven months on Monday. Democrats have also been performing better than Republicans in recent polling, while concerns around immigration and the cost of living are weighing on Trump and his party as polling day approaches.

In the Journal poll, 60 per cent of respondents said Trump’s policies on the economy have made it worse. By comparison, 25 per cent said his policies had improved the economy, while 10 per cent said they had made no difference. Five per cent of respondents did not answer or said they were unsure how Trump’s economic policies had affected the economy.

Economy And Energy Costs

The conflict linked to Iran has also affected energy prices for Americans. The Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for the oil industry, was closed amid the fighting.

Figures from AAA showed that the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the United States was about $4.48 on Monday morning, up from roughly $3.13 a year earlier.

Outlook For The House And Senate

The record-low approval rating comes as political analysts and election forecasters assess the balance of power likely to emerge after the midterms.

Charlie Cook, founder of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said on Sunday that Democrats are likely to retake the House of Representatives. He added that Democrats’ chances of winning control of the Senate are now “very realistic”, though he said that view had changed over time.

Cook said he had believed for some time that Republicans’ position in the House was close to settled, while noting that a year earlier it was not seen as realistic that the Senate would change hands.

Details Of The Journal Poll

The Wall Street Journal poll was conducted from 16 to 21 September. It surveyed 1,500 registered voters and reported a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

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28 September 2026