Donald Trump approval rating crashes among Republicans weeks ahead of November 3 US midterm elections

Donald Trump approval rating: Majorities of Republicans and Democrats claimed the cost of living as their top concern ahead of November 3 midterm elections. Some 78 per cent of Americans blame President Donald Trump's policies for rising prices that are outpacing their earnings, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that found. Fifty-seven percent of Trump's Republicans said that costs have been growing faster than their paychecks, a stark example of how his pursuit of import tariffs, war with Iran and other policies have clashed with a central 2024 campaign promise to kill inflation and lower prices "on day one."

Inflation instead has increased, to the point where the US Federal Reserve has pivoted to rate hikes to quell price increases policymakers have attributed to a variety of factors, including rising global energy costs following the start of the Iran war, and the administration's imposition of aggressive import taxes.

Donald Trump Approval Rating on Economy


Concerns about the economy and the war have driven Trump's public approval to record lows and have been weighing on support for his party ahead of the November 3 election that will determine control of Congress for the next two years.

About one in four Republicans disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy, a view shared by 63 per cent of independents and 92 per cent of Democrats. Disapproval was even sharper when it came to inflation, with 68 per cent of all respondents and 40 per cent of Republicans dissatisfied.

The six-day Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted online and nationwide and completed on Monday, gathered responses from 4,506 US adults. It had a margin of error of 2 percentage points for Americans in general and 3 points for Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Hispanic voters supported Trump in large numbers in 2024, but polls have shown support eroding.

Cost of Living

Poll respondents cited the cost of living as a top issue in their decisions on how to vote, with 54 per cent of respondents, including 40 per cent of Republicans, saying they felt it had increased a lot in the last year, compared with 30 per cent who said it was up only a little and 10 per cent who said it was unchanged.

Some 78 per cent of the respondents - including 64 per cent of Republicans and 76 per cent of independents - said some blame lies with the White House, with most Americans viewing tariffs as an important cause of higher prices.

The poll provided only limited indications of people cutting back on spending. Some 63 of respondents said they were eating out at restaurants less often, and 56 per cent said they were spending less on entertainment or streaming services. Smaller shares said they were driving less or falling behind on bills.

Rising Prices

Economic data does show Americans in general still making modest gains in their income, even after accounting for taxes and rising prices. Overall hourly wage gains are growing roughly in line with the consumer price index, meaning much of any growth in pay is eaten up in higher prices, the type of treading water that can sour attitudes about the state of the economy.

Surveys of consumer confidence by both the Conference Board and the New York Federal Reserve have reflected a dim outlook.

Some of Trump's policies still resonate: 45 per cent of respondents said unauthorized immigration was a root cause of higher prices, echoing the argument made by the administration that people in the country illegally create extra demand for things like housing, pushing up costs.