36%. Trump's Approval Just Hit Its Lowest Point Ever.
36%. Trump's Approval Just Hit Its Lowest Point Ever.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed March 23 found 36% approval — down from 47% at inauguration. His economy numbers are lower than Biden's worst. His war approval is 35%. And 62% disapprove. The numbers behind the collapse.
Donald Trump ran on "making America affordable again." A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows how far that promise has fallen. His overall approval has dropped to 36% — the lowest point in either of his two presidential terms — hit by a three-front collapse: gas prices, the Iran war, and the economy.
The Numbers
Reuters/Ipsos Poll — March 20–23, 2026| Metric | Number | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Overall approval | 36% | Down from 47% at inauguration |
| Overall disapproval | 62% | Worst since returning to power |
| Approve Iran strikes | 35% | Down from 37% week prior |
| Disapprove Iran strikes | 61% | Up from 59% week prior |
| Cost of living approval | 25% | Lower than any Biden rating |
| Economy approval | 29% | Record low for Trump |
| War makes US less safe | 46% | vs. 26% say safer |
| Gas price change since Feb 28 | +$1/gallon | Hormuz closure effect |
The Economy Number Is the Most Damaging
29% — Lower Than Biden's WorstTrump's 29% economy approval isn't just a record low for him — it's lower than any economic approval rating recorded for Joe Biden during his entire presidency. This matters because Trump's entire 2024 campaign was built on the premise that he was better on the economy than Biden. That argument is now upside down.
The driver is straightforward: gas prices have risen roughly $1 per gallon since February 28, when the Iran war began. The Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of the world's oil flows — remains under Iranian control. Every week it stays closed, gas prices stay elevated, and every week gas prices stay elevated, the economic numbers get worse.
⚠️ The Midterm Math: Trump's declining approval is not translating into Democratic advantages on every issue. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found 38% of registered voters still prefer Republicans on the economy vs. 34% for Democrats. Republicans also lead on immigration and crime. Democrats hold the edge on healthcare and women's rights. Voters are unhappy with Trump — but they haven't fully embraced the alternative yet.
From 47% to 36% — The Decline in Context
Fifteen Months of ErosionTrump entered his second term at 47% approval — historically strong for an incoming president who had just won. That number held relatively stable through his first year, largely between 38-43%. The Iran war changed the trajectory. The poll conducted immediately after the February 28 strikes showed 27% approving of the strikes — with 29% unsure. A month in, the "unsure" voters have largely made up their minds: 61% now disapprove of the strikes.
The pattern is the opposite of what Trump once predicted. In 2012 and 2013, he wrote repeatedly that President Obama would attack Iran to boost his approval ratings — the so-called "rally around the flag" effect. Trump got a war with Iran. He did not get the rally.
36% overall. 25% on cost of living. 29% on the economy — lower than Biden's worst. 61% against the Iran war. Trump launched the war predicting it would strengthen him. The numbers say otherwise. With midterms eight months away, his party is watching the same polls he is.
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