Trump Approval Falls to 33%, Lowest of Presidency, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds
By douglasharrington // 2026-08-18
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President Donald Trump's approval rating fell to 33% the lowest level of his presidency, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded Monday, Aug. 17. The four-day survey found 64% of respondents disapproved of Trump's performance. His approval reading was down from 35% in a poll closed earlier this month and tied with the December 2017 low from his prior term. The reading is consistent with other recent surveys. A Quinnipiac University poll released July 29 recorded 32% approval and 58% disapproval among registered voters, according to the pollster [1]. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released July 30 found approval at record lows as well [1]. In March, a Fox News poll found Trump's job disapproval had reached 59%, with nearly half of all voters strongly disapproving, according to a NaturalNews.com report [2].

Iran Conflict and Gasoline Prices

The decline follows U.S. strikes on Iran alongside ally Israel, a conflict that paralyzed a fifth of global oil trade and pushed gasoline prices higher, according to Reuters. Trump campaigned on promises to keep inflation in check and avoid long-lasting wars. He initially pledged the Iran conflict would take a few weeks, but Iran has kept oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz largely blocked. In April, Trump told the American people there is "no time frame" for ending the war, directly contradicting his earlier promises of a quick four-to-five-week conflict, according to a report on NaturalNews.com [3]. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed and the Iranian government shows no signs of collapse despite intense sanctions, according to a Brighteon analysis [4]. Iran has gone on the offensive in recent weeks, striking commercial ships and launching a surprise attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, according to Responsible Statecraft [5]. Household finances have felt the strain. A national poll cited by NaturalNews.com found 55% of Americans report their household finances have been at least somewhat affected by climbing fuel costs, with 21% experiencing significant impact [6]. Oil prices extended their rise to six-week highs in July as fighting continued around the Persian Gulf, according to ZeroHedge [7]. At a Garden City, New York, rally on Friday, Trump said paying "a tiny little bit more for your gasoline" is worth ensuring "a very evil country" could not have a nuclear weapon.

Most Americans Expect Extended War

About 80% of Americans, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, think U.S. involvement in Iran will continue for an extended period, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 16% said the conflict would likely end in a few weeks. One in five Americans overall, along with half of Republicans, said the war has been worth it. Other surveys have found similar sentiment. An AP-NORC poll conducted from July 23 to 27 found about two-thirds of U.S. adults say the war with Iran has not been worthwhile and that 28% approve of Trump's handling of Iran, down from 34% the previous month [8]. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published in June found 52% of Americans said the war was not worth its costs, while 24% said it was [9]. Americans have been consistent in preferring a ceasefire to a war with no defined endpoint, according to Jamie Stern-Weiner in 'Deluge Gaza and Israel from Crisis to Cataclysm' [10].

Midterm Political Implications

Republicans are defending a slim U.S. House majority in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and Democrats increasingly see the Senate within reach, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. The latest poll showed 38% of voters said Democrats would handle the economy better, compared with 35% for Republicans, the first Democratic lead on the issue in about a decade. The CNBC survey, conducted in July, found "more voters expect things to get worse by a 41%/29% margin, leaving the electorate in a distinctly sour mood heading into the midterm election cycle," according to Micah Roberts, a partner at Public Opinion Strategies and the Republican pollster for the survey [11]. The pessimistic reading was the highest since December 2023, when the country was emerging from pandemic-era inflation [11]. On immigration, Republicans led Democrats by only 2 points – 40% to 38% – the lowest spread of Trump's term, according to the poll. Republicans led by 26 points on the issue in January 2025. Midterm elections can hinge on such shifts. In the fall 2022 midterm election, more than 200 Republican candidates running for federal or executive state offices said they at least questioned or doubted the 2020 outcome, according to Neil Howe's "The Fourth Turning is Here" [12].

Poll Methodology

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online and gathered responses from 1,166 U.S. adults nationwide. The survey had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction. Comparable surveys have used similar methods. The Quinnipiac poll was conducted July 23-27 with 963 respondents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points [1]. The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,165 adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points [8].

References

  1. NaturalNews.com. "Polls Show Trump Approval at Historic Lows Amid Iran War". NaturalNews.com. August 4, 2026.
  2. Ava Grace. "Trump's Disapproval Rating Hits Peak as Public Opposes U.S. Military Action Against Iran". NaturalNews.com. March 28, 2026.
  3. Cassie B. "Trump Says 'No Time Frame' for Iran War as Ceasefire Stalls, Oil Prices Surge". NaturalNews.com. April 23, 2026.
  4. Bright Videos Network. "2026-03-27-BVN-IRAN WILL DEFEAT THE U.S. EMPIRE_otter_ai-".
  5. Responsible Statecraft. "Surprise Strikes Signal Iran Is Digging in for a Long War". August 6, 2026.
  6. Ava Grace. "Soaring Gas Prices, Strained Wallets, and the Shadow of a Distant War". NaturalNews.com. March 25, 2026.
  7. Zero Hedge. "Oil Soars To Six-Week Highs Amid Trump Threats, US Production Dip, & 'Tank Bottoms' At Cushing". Zero Hedge. July 22, 2026.
  8. NaturalNews.com. "AP-NORC Poll: Two-Thirds of US Adults Say Iran War Not Worthwhile; Trump Approval on Handling at 28%". NaturalNews.com. July 31, 2026.
  9. Middle East Eye. "Most Americans Say Iran War Not Worth Costs, Trump Approval Falls to Match Lowest in Second Term". Middle East Eye. June 23, 2026.
  10. Jamie Stern-Weiner. "Deluge Gaza and Israel from Crisis to Cataclysm".
  11. NaturalNews.com. "CNBC Survey: Majority Pessimistic on Economy; Trump Approval Remains Low". NaturalNews.com. July 20, 2026.
  12. Neil Howe. "The Fourth Turning is Here".

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