Another Day, Another Poll, and Another Record Low Approval for Donald Trump – U.S. President Donald Trump has hit his lowest-ever approval rating for the second day in a row.
A newly released Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 31% of Americans approve of the President’s performance in office, the lowest percentage in any comparable poll during either of his two terms.
President Donald J. Trump signs executive orders, Friday, May 9, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
President Donald J. Trump holds a bill signing with members of Congress, Friday, May 9, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
It follows a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll released earlier this week, confirming the fears of many Republican candidates as the midterm elections approach in just two weeks.
A New Low (Again) for Donald Trump
The poll, released on Tuesday, 20th October, shows Trump’s approval is lower among American adults than in any Reuters/Ipsos poll from his two terms. Only 31% of all 1,679 respondents said the President was performing well, while 66% disagreed.
Compared to the previous Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump’s approval has fallen by two percentage points over the past fortnight, continuing a gradual decline that accelerated when the U.S. went to war with Iran.
The conflict has raised the cost of living for millions of households across the country, with gasoline and diesel significantly rising due to Iran’s ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, 68% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 37% of Republicans, according to the poll.
Democrats Lead the Way
The Democratic Party remains set to retake at least one of Congress’ two chambers, according to findings released Tuesday. Of the poll’s 1,279 respondents, 47% said they intended to vote for the Democrats, compared with 35% who said they would vote for the Republican Party.
The 12-percentage-point gulf between the two parties is the largest of any Reuters/Ipsos poll of the current election cycle. It also marks the highest level of support for the Democrats since January 2025, surpassing last month’s high of 44%.
Women overwhelmingly intend to vote for the Democrats in the midterm elections, with half (50%) of all female voters polled supporting the Democratic Party. Just 32% of women said the same about the GOP. Male voters also favored the Democrats, albeit by a smaller margin.
Although congressional generic ballot polls provide an overview of American public sentiment, they don’t account for the individual races that will decide President Trump’s final two years in office. Any scenario other than the GOP retaining control of Congress will complicate Trump’s agenda for the final two years of his presidential career.
A Continuing Trend
The survey follows a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll that also painted a grim picture for President Trump and the GOP. In the survey released Monday, the President’s approval stood at 33%, with 66% of Americans disapproving of his performance in office. More than half (52%) strongly disapproved of the President’s tenure so far.
Compared to the previous comparable poll, Trump’s approval has fallen by four percentage points since July. Compared to this point last year, his approval rating is eight percentage points lower. It also marks the President’s worst approval rating of any Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll, including his first term, where only 38% approved of his performance.
Far from a Trump Card
Part of the problem for President Trump is his own unpopularity. On whether voters would prefer an opposing Democratic-led Congress or a Trump-supporting Republican one, registered voters strongly favored the former, 58% to 39%. That margin is almost double what it was one year ago.
It presents an uncomfortable problem for the Republican Party. Several candidates have already distanced themselves from Trump’s policies, yet in the unlikely event of a GOP majority in both houses, Republican lawmakers would be expected to enact Trump’s major policies. Conversely, ostracizing the President to convince swing voters to cast their ballot for GOP candidates risks conflict with MAGA voters who remain loyal to Trump and voter apathy on Tuesday, 3rd November.
The Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll was conducted online from Friday, 9th October, to Tuesday, 13th October. The poll surveyed 2,545 U.S. adults, with an overall margin of error of +/- 2%. Among the 2,032 registered adults polled, the margin of error is +/- 2.2%.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,679 U.S. adults, including 1,279 registered voters. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points for all respondents and +/- 3 percentage points for registered voters.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
