The approval rating of United States President Donald Trump has seen a slight increase, according to a recent poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos. The four-day survey found that Trump's approval rating ticked up by one percentage point to 36%, as public dissatisfaction over the cost of living grew less intense.
This development comes on the heels of Trump's announcement last Sunday that he had reached an agreement with Iranian leaders to end the war between their countries, which had pushed gasoline prices sharply higher. The agreement has led to a decrease in gasoline prices in recent weeks, although Americans are still paying roughly a dollar more per gallon at the pump than they were before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
The poll also found that 24% of Americans currently approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, up from 22% a week earlier and 20% a month ago. Conversely, the share who disapprove has eased to 69% in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll from 73% a month earlier.
It remains to be seen if this slight increase in approval rating marks a turning point for Trump's presidency, which has suffered even among groups core to his political base such as rural voters and evangelical Christians. His overall approval rating remains near the lowest levels of his political career, and people still take a harsher view of his handling of the cost of living than they did of how his Democratic predecessor in office, Joe Biden, handled the issue.
The poll was conducted online and gathered responses from 1,537 U.S. adults nationwide, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.
Trump started his second term in January 2025 with an approval rating of 47%, which is 11 percentage points higher than his current rating. That figure represents the level of public support he received after winning the prior year's presidential election with a promise to get persistently high inflation under control.
However, that hasn't happened, as a recent U.S. inflation report showed, and dissatisfaction over rising prices could weigh on Trump's Republican allies defending narrow congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections.
The poll also found that 41% of registered voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate in their district if the congressional elections were held today, compared to 38% who said they would vote Republican. Another 18% said they weren't sure or were considering a third party. Independent voters, who could be decisive in many elections, favored Democrats over Republicans by 13 points, 35% to 22%.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll provides insight into the public's perception of Trump's presidency and its impact on his political standing. The findings are significant given the midterm elections looming later this year.
Written by: Meesa Grinspin | The Citizen Edition
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