President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to 38%, the lowest since his return to power, with Americans unhappy about his handling of the high cost of living and the investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
The four-day poll, which concluded on Monday, comes as Trump’s grip on his Republican Party shows signs of weakening.
Trump started his second term in office with 47% of Americans giving him a thumbs up. The nine-point decline since January leaves his overall popularity near the lows seen during his first term in office, and close to the weakest ratings for his Democratic predecessor in the White House, Joe Biden. Biden’s approval rating sank as low as 35% while Trump’s first-term popularity fell as low as 33%.
Trump’s signature economic policy push has been to hike taxes on imported goods to prop up American manufacturing, but many economists believe the policy has led to higher prices. Expressing frustration over the public perception of his handling of the economy, Trump last week dialed back import taxes on coffee, beef, bananas and other staples.
MIDTERM ELECTIONS AHEAD
His sagging popularity could make Republicans more vulnerable in next year’s congressional elections, though the Reuters/Ipsos poll showed voters continue to see Trump’s Republican Party as having a better approach to economic policy.
“What we’re seeing is probably the biggest test of his presidency in terms of his grip on the Republican Party,” said Mike Ongstad, an independent strategist and former Republican who has not supported Trump’s presidential campaigns.
Only 20% of Americans – including just 44% of Republicans – approve of how Trump has handled the Epstein case, the Reuters/Ipsos poll showed. Some 70% of poll respondents – including 87% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans – said they believe the government is hiding information about Epstein’s clients.
