Trump Approval Rating Hits 33% — Lowest of His Presidency

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 in either direction.

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. Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 with approval just under 50%.

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.

Different polls show different numbers. A Financial Times/Focaldata poll in mid-August showed 35% approval among 1,913 registered voters. USA Today reported Emerson polling showed 39.5% among likely voters. The Reuters/Ipsos survey uses the broader adult population, which typically yields lower approval figures.

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.