Trump's Approval Ratings Plummet Amidst Rising Gas Prices and Iran Conflict

Fri Mar 27 2026 10:19:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As the war in Iran escalates, President Trump's approval ratings have taken a significant hit, coinciding with rising fuel costs and economic dissatisfaction among Americans. Recent polling reveals troubling trends for the incumbent leader.

President Trump's approval ratings are sliding as he faces increasing public discontent fueled by economic difficulties and the ongoing conflict in Iran. Despite initial support at the beginning of his second term, his economic approval has drastically dipped, raising concerns for his administration as midterm elections approach. Polling indicates that not only Democrats but also independents are turning away from Trump, suggesting potential challenges for his party's future.

President Donald Trump's popularity among the American public has been eroding steadily since he returned to the White House last January.

While some of this is typical for second-term American presidents, Trump's initial decline also reflects ongoing public dissatisfaction with high prices and cost-of-living – issues that have propelled Democrats to wins in a growing number of elections over the past year.

According to data by election analysis website The Downballot, Democrats did an average of 13% better in contested special elections in 2025 than they did in the same districts during the 2024 presidential election.

The war in Iran has only exacerbated these economic concerns.

Polling company Ipsos found that 43% of the American public approved of Trump's handling of the economy at the start of his second term. By 23 June 2025, the number had dropped to 35%, a level it hovered around for the rest of the year.

Three weeks into the Iran war, gas prices have surged to an average near $4 a gallon. Trump's economic approval rating has fallen to 29%, lower than any mark for Joe Biden during his four years in the White House, when Americans faced a post-Covid pandemic inflation spike.

Economic anxiety contributed to Democratic defeat in 2024 and Republicans controlling the presidency and both chambers of Congress for the past year. Now it appears to be creating a drag on Trump's net approval.

At the start of his second term, according to a polling average by political analyst Nate Silver, Trump enjoyed 52% approval. By 28 February, at the start of the Iran war, only 42% of Americans had a positive view of him. This week, that mark had sagged to 40%. This is dangerous territory for an incumbent president just seven months from midterm congressional elections.

At this week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the stakes in November's elections were a common topic of discussion. Attendees voiced the need to maintain control to prevent the left from reversing their agenda.

While a majority of the public opposed the military intervention in Iran from the beginning, Trump's political base continues to back him despite economic concerns.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found 86% of Republicans support the military action in Iran, but those numbers drop across registered voters. The Democratic opposition persists, but now, independent voters appear to be increasingly turning against him, posing potential risks for Trump's party in the upcoming elections.