A new Reuters/Ipsos survey released Monday found that 33 percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s job performance, while 64 percent disapprove. The rating marks a two-percentage-point decline since a similar poll was released on August 3 and ties the lowest approval level recorded during his first term in December 2017.
The decline in approval follows a period of economic and military developments, including an ongoing conflict with Iran that began in the spring. While the president initially stated the military objectives in Iran would take roughly one month to achieve, the conflict has continued through the summer without a permanent agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program.
Economic data indicates that U.S. gas prices have remained above $4 per gallon throughout the summer, compared to less than $3 reported by AAA two days before the conflict began. According to the consumer price index, energy prices rose 14.7 percent year-over-year in July, following a peak inflation rate of 23.5 percent in May. President Trump stated on Friday that it was "worth it" for citizens to pay more for fuel to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The scale of the economic shift is significant, with energy price inflation reaching as high as 23.5 percent earlier this year. This cost increase impacts small-business owners who manage delivery fleets and families who must navigate a 14.7 percent increase in general energy costs compared to the previous year. The poll of 1,166 respondents shows that the perception of a "long time" conflict is widespread across party lines, with 71 percent of Republicans and 87 percent of Democrats expecting the war to continue for an extended duration despite the administration’s earlier one-month estimate.
These trends have immediate knock-on effects for legislative policy and international shipping markets. Shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz have upended global oil trade, which maintains upward pressure on consumer prices and influences Federal Reserve considerations regarding inflation. As candidates grapple with these economic effects, the next major milestones include the November 2026 midterm elections, which will determine if the current Republican majorities in Congress are maintained or if control shifts to the Democratic party as current forecasts suggest.
What happens next involves the continued monitoring of the Strait of Hormuz and the progress of the conflict with Iran. There are currently no confirmed dates for a lasting deal between the two sides. The 2026 midterm elections will serve as the next formal measure of how these approval ratings translate into legislative representation.