Full Breakdown
Trump’s Approval Rating Falls to Record Low Amid Iran War and Cost-of-Living Concerns
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Record-Low Approval Rating
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on September 21 found President Donald Trump’s overall approval at 32 %, the lowest level recorded in either of his terms. The same poll showed Republican approval of his job at 73 %, down from 82 % a week earlier, and a disapproval rating of 66 % nationally. The Hill reported the same 32 % figure and noted a 15-point slide from the 47 % approval Trump enjoyed at the start of his second term in the same poll series.
Background: Iran Conflict and Domestic Economy
Trump entered his second term in January 2025 promising to curb inflation and end foreign wars. In February, he launched a military campaign against Iran that has driven gasoline and diesel prices higher and sparked criticism that the war is inflating the cost of living. Reuters noted that only 17 % of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 34 % approved of his handling of the Iran war.
Poll Data and State-Level Variations
- National level (Reuters/Ipsos): 32 % approve, 66 % disapprove; Republican support for immigration at 79 %, overall immigration approval at 36 %.
- Issue-specific approvals: 17 % approve cost-of-living handling; 34 % approve war handling.
- Decision Desk HQ average (mid-September): 38.8 % approval, 59.7 % disapproval.
- Vermont (UNH Survey Center, mid-September): 26 % overall approval, net economy rating –58, foreign-affairs rating –61; 84 % of Republicans disapprove.
- Massachusetts (UNH Survey Center, mid-September): 24 % overall approval; economy and foreign-policy approvals at 18 % and 19 % respectively; Republican approval fell to 64 % from 79 % in August.
- Connecticut (UNH Survey Center, mid-September): 32 % overall approval; economy at 30 %, foreign affairs at 28 %; Republican approval dropped to 76 % from 84 % in August.
- New Hampshire (UNH Survey Center, mid-September): 32 % overall approval; 31 % economy, 29 % foreign affairs; Republican approval at 66 % down from 75 % in August.
- Oklahoma (Civiqs poll, mid-September): 47 % overall approval, a modest two-point lead over disapproval; Republican approval at 75 %.
Official Statements & Responses
President Trump told Fox News on September 20 that he was “deciding” whether to escalate the U.S. war on Iran. Earlier in the conflict, he had asserted that the war would last only a few weeks and that bombing Iran was necessary to prevent nuclear development.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The national approval figure varies across sources: Reuters/Ipsos reports 32 %, while the Decision Desk HQ average shows 38.8 %. State-level polls also differ, with some showing approval in the mid-20s and others near 47 %. No source provides a unified projection of how these approval levels will translate into actual voting behavior, leaving a gap in understanding the electoral impact.
What’s Next
Trump has pledged that the Iran war will end “immediately after” the election, though recent weeks have shown no sign of de-escalation. The midterm elections later this month will determine congressional control, and the current approval trends suggest a challenging environment for Republican candidates.