Govind Tekale
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll measured President Donald Trump‘s approval rating at 33%. That is the lowest level of his presidency. The poll found 64% of Americans disapprove of his performance. The four-day online survey concluded August 17, 2026. It surveyed 1,166 U.S. adults nationwide. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
Trump’s approval fell from 35% in a poll that closed earlier in August. The 33% figure ties the lowest approval rating of his prior term, recorded in December 2017. Previous polls showed similar declines throughout the summer.
The poll found 80% of Americans expect U.S. involvement in Iran to continue for an extended period. That includes 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans. Only 16% believe the conflict will likely end in a few weeks. Trump initially said the conflict would take weeks. The war has disrupted about a fifth of global oil trade. Gasoline prices have risen as a result.
Trump told a rally in Garden City, New York that paying “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline” is worth ensuring “a very evil country” cannot have a nuclear weapon. For the first time in about a decade, voters prefer Democrats over Republicans as better stewards of the economy: 38% to 35%. Democrats are also seen as better equipped to manage the cost of living.
On immigration, Republicans’ advantage narrowed to 2 percentage points: 40% prefer the Republican approach versus 38% for Democrats. In January 2025, Republicans led by 26 points on the issue.
Different polls show different numbers. A Financial Times/Focaldata poll showed 35% approval. USA Today reported Emerson polling showed 39.5% among likely voters. Among MAGA supporters, approval remained at 90% as of August 10, 2026.
Republicans are defending a slim House majority in the November 3, 2026 midterm elections. Democrats increasingly see the Senate as within reach. The approval rating suggests significant headwinds for the GOP heading into the election.
