Rating drops from 35% to 32% in a week

Lowest of both terms combined

Republican support falls from 82% to 73%

Only 17% approve of his handling of cost of living

US President Donald Trump speaks during a dinner held in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Thursday (local time). [AP]
US President Donald Trump speaks during a dinner held in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on Thursday (local time). [AP]

US President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 32%, the lowest of his political career across both terms, as rising energy prices and cost-of-living pressures following the Iran war erode support even among his core Republican base. Analysts say inflation is emerging as the biggest liability for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November's midterm elections.

A poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos and released Monday (local time) found that 32% of respondents approved of Trump's job performance — down 3 percentage points from 35% recorded a week earlier.

Reuters said the figure marks the lowest approval rating of Trump's political career, spanning his first term, which began in 2017, and his current second term.

Particularly striking is the erosion within Trump's core base. Support among Republican voters dropped 9 percentage points in a week, falling from 82% to 73%.

The primary driver of the decline is the cost-of-living burden felt by ordinary Americans. Only 17% of respondents gave Trump a positive rating on his handling of living costs.

Dissatisfaction over prices has grown sharply even among Republican voters. Among that group, 51% gave Trump a negative rating on his handling of inflation, outpacing the 44% who rated him positively. It is the first time negative assessments have exceeded positive ones on that issue within the Republican base.

High oil prices sustained since the outbreak of the Iran war are seen as a key factor undermining Trump's support. Since the war began in February, gasoline and diesel prices in the United States have risen sharply, adding to the financial strain on Americans who rely heavily on their vehicles.

Inflation is shaping up as a pivotal variable in the midterm elections scheduled for Nov. 3. The cost of living ranks among the top concerns voters say will guide their choices at the ballot box. If discontent over prices continues to spread even among core Republican supporters, it could weigh not only on Trump but also on the party's congressional candidates.

Trump has acknowledged the burden high fuel prices place on Americans but has maintained that the costs are acceptable given the gains achieved through the war, including preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

With international oil prices holding near $100 a barrel, public pressure over the economic costs of the war is mounting. Trump has left open the possibility of meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and whether a diplomatic breakthrough can ease oil prices and living costs is expected to be another key variable heading into the midterms.

The poll was conducted from Thursday through Sunday among 1,277 adults across the United States, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points.


sjy@heraldcorp.com