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The continuing war with Iran and rising inflation are weighing heavily on US President Donald Trump’s approval ratings, which have plunged to record lows just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, according to two new polls.
The polls by The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos and Fox News point to mounting voter dissatisfaction, particularly over the economy, inflation and the administration's handling of the war with Iran.
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll puts Trump's approval rating among American adults at just 33 per cent, while 66 per cent disapprove of his performance. More than half of all respondents, 52 per cent, said they strongly disapprove of the president.
The figure marks an eight-percentage-point decline from the same period last year and a four-point fall since July. According to the poll, Trump's approval has dropped below every reading recorded during his first term. Among likely voters, his approval stands at 38 per cent, against 62 per cent who disapprove.
A separate Fox News poll found that only 36 per cent of respondents approve of Trump's overall performance as president, while 64 per cent disapprove. This was the lowest recorded across either of his terms in office.
The findings come at a critical moment for Republicans, who are seeking to retain control of Congress. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are up for election, alongside numerous gubernatorial and other state and local contests.
ECONOMY, INFLATION WEIGH ON TRUMP
Economic discontent has emerged as a major weakness for the president in both surveys. The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that Democrats, for the first time in more than a decade, have an advantage over Republicans in voters' trust to handle the economy.
The survey also points to widespread pessimism about the country's direction, with 72 per cent of respondents saying the US is heading the wrong way. That represents a five-point increase since April.
The Fox News poll paints a similarly bleak picture of Trump's economic standing. Only 22 per cent of respondents approved of his handling of inflation, down from 36 per cent in a survey conducted last summer.
Disapproval also outweighed approval across several other policy areas.
According to Fox News, 70 per cent of respondents disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy, 69 per cent of his approach to tariffs, 64 per cent of his foreign policy and 56 per cent of his immigration policies.
Border security was the notable exception, with opinion evenly divided: 50 per cent approved of Trump's handling of the issue and 50 per cent disapproved.
IRAN WAR ADDS TO PRESSURE
The dragging conflict with Iran has added to concerns over rising living costs, with higher oil prices pushing up fuel expenses for American households.
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey found deep public concern over Trump's decision to go to war, with respondents reporting that the conflict was affecting their finances, particularly through petrol prices.
According to the figures cited in the Fox News report, regular petrol in the US was selling for around $4.33 per gallon on Wednesday, $1.25 higher than a year earlier.
Trump has acknowledged that the conflict could carry electoral consequences.
He previously conceded that it was possible the war could cost Republicans votes in November, even as he defended the higher fuel costs as a price worth paying for the military campaign.
The president has also expressed confidence that petrol prices will eventually fall sharply, comparing the expected decline to “rocket ships in reverse”.
DEMOCRATS SEE SILVER LINING
The polling findings suggest Democrats have an opportunity to capitalise on dissatisfaction with the administration as they seek to regain congressional power.
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey found that Democratic registered voters were more likely than their Republican counterparts to say they were certain to vote or had already cast their ballots.
The figures stood at 75 per cent for Democrats and 67 per cent for Republicans.
The poll also revealed differences within the Republican base. While 75 per cent of Republicans who identify with the MAGA movement said they were certain to vote, that share fell to 57 per cent among Republicans outside the movement.
Fox News reported that Trump's declining approval was particularly pronounced among likely voters aged 45 and younger, non-white voters, people without a college degree and households earning less than $50,000 annually.
Opinion polls point towards Democrats winning control of the House of Representatives, while the Senate contest remains too close to call, according to the findings cited in the reports.
A Republican loss of the House would significantly constrain Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his term and give Democrats the power to issue subpoenas as they investigate his administration.
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