President Donald Trump’s approval rating is hovering near record lows at 37%, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll conducted July 10-13, with 59% of Americans disapproving of his job performance.
The poll surveyed 1,616 respondents and found that 54% said America’s standing in the world has worsened since the beginning of Trump’s second term, according to USA TODAY.
Trump’s dismal approval numbers reflect widespread concern over his handling of the Iran war. In the same survey, 59% of respondents said they strongly or somewhat disapproved of the president’s actions regarding Iran, a disapproval level that has remained steady since the war began but peaked at 64% at the end of May.
The Economist/YouGov findings align with other recent polling. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released July 13 showed that 79% of Americans believe U.S. military actions in Iran will “go on for an extended period of time.” That same survey found 58% disapproved of U.S. military strikes against Iran.
Trump’s approval crisis has political implications heading into November’s midterms. The Economist/YouGov poll showed Democrats leading Republicans by four percentage points, suggesting his low approval could help Democrats’ push to regain control of Congress.
Aggregators tracking Trump’s approval across multiple polls show similar weakness. As of July 14, RealClearPolitics reported 41% approve and 56.4% disapprove, The New York Times showed 39% approve and 58% disapprove, and the Silver Bulletin reported 40% approve and 56.4% disapprove.
While Trump’s current approval is near historic lows for his presidency, it falls short of the lowest individual approval rating ever recorded. Harry S. Truman hit 22% in February 1952, according to Cornell University’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. Trump’s own lowest approval rating was 29%, recorded January 8-12, 2021, near the end of his first term.
Sources
- USA TODAY — Latest Economist/YouGov poll results showing 37% approval, 59% disapproval, and context on Iran war disapproval
- Reuters — July 13 poll showing 79% expect prolonged Iran war and 58% disapprove of military strikes
- RealClearPolitics, The New York Times, Silver Bulletin — Aggregated approval tracking data as of July 14
- Cornell University Roper Center for Public Opinion Research — Historical presidential approval data including Truman and Trump’s lowest ratings
