Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 43%, the lowest since he resumed his presidency, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. This decline comes as Americans respond to contentious tariff decisions and his approach to a military operation in Yemen.
The survey lasting three days concluded on Wednesday indicated that Trump’s presidential approval rating dropped by 2 percentage points compared to the poll taken from March 21-23. Additionally, this represents a decrease of 4 percentage points from his initial approval rate of 47%, recorded right after he assumed office on January 20.
Trump registered his highest first-term approval rating, 49%, shortly after he took office in January 2017. His lowest first-term rating was 33% in December 2017. His overall approval remains stronger than it was for most of his first term.
Democratic President Joe Biden, who preceded Trump in the White House, saw his approval ratings drop to their lowest point at 35%, shortly before last November's presidential election.
Participants rated Trump unfavorably on his management of the economy, as only 37% agreed with his approach. Additionally, 30% endorsed his efforts to tackle the high cost of living, a challenge that similarly affected Biden.
Approximately half of those surveyed—52%—concurred with the assertion that raising import duties on vehicles and automotive components, which were set to be implemented as part of President Trump’s latest trade policy announced on Wednesday, would adversely affect individuals near them. A similar proportion indicated that imposing higher tariffs would result in more negative consequences than benefits. Around one-third of U.S. citizens, predominantly members of Trump's Republican party, expressed disagreement with these claims regarding potential harms caused by increased tariffs.
Since assuming office, Trump has orchestrated a flurry of policy shifts, resulting in the dismissal of almost 200,000 federal employees and the disruption of long-standing U.S. diplomatic practices. His tariff strategies have alarmed financial players, causing stocks to plummet due to fears that these measures might precipitate an economic downturn.
Worries about signal situation
Participants also criticized the way the Trump administration managed military secrets , after it was revealed last week that high-ranking officials discussed strategies for attacking militants in Yemen using the publicly accessible Signal messaging app and accidentally shared confidential plans with a reporter.
In the Reuters/Ipsos survey, 74% of participants—comprising 91% of Democrats and 55% of Republicans—considered discussing the attack strategies in such a way as irresponsible. Only 22% viewed it as an innocent mistake. Additionally, 70% concurred that Trump ought to take accountability for the issue at hand.
In the recent survey, only 34% of participants expressed approval for Trump's approach to foreign affairs, which marks a decline from the 37% who endorsed him in theReuters/Ipsospoll conducted between March 21-23. Approximately 48% of those surveyed gave their thumbs up to Trump’s performance. handling of immigration .
The most recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, carried out online across the nation, polled 1,486 American adults and has a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.