Trump's Approval Rating Plummets to New Low Amid Iran Conflict & Rising Gas Prices
Trump's Approval Rating Plummets to New Low Amid Iran Conflict & Rising Gas Prices
New Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals President Trump's approval rating at a historic low of 33%. The dip follows Iran strikes, triggering global oil trade issues and surging gas prices nationwide. What does this mean for Repub
President Donald Trump's approval rating has sunk to the lowest point of his presidency, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released this Monday. The survey found that only 33 percent of respondents approved of Trump's performance in the White House, a drop from 35 percent, while a significant 64 percent expressed disapproval. This rating now ties the lowest level he reached during his prior term in December 2017.
The decline in popularity comes after Trump ordered strikes on Iran, a move that severely impacted his public image. While just under half the country approved of his presidency upon his return to the White House in 2015, the recent conflict has been a major factor in the shift. The ensuing tensions with Iran paralyzed a fifth of the global oil trade, leading to a noticeable surge in gasoline prices across the United States. This increase is not only straining American households but also putting pressure on Trump's Republican allies as they gear up to defend congressional majorities in the upcoming November midterm elections.
Trump had campaigned on promises to keep inflation in check and avoid prolonged wars. However, despite initially pledging that the conflict with Iran would be resolved in a few weeks, Iran has proven resilient. The country has largely kept the oil trade through the vital Strait of Hormuz bottlenecked, even as the overt conflict has somewhat cooled. The Reuters/Ipsos poll highlighted widespread public concern, with approximately 80 percent of Americans, including 87 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans, believing that U.S. involvement in Iran will "go on for an extended period of time." Only a small fraction, 16 percent, thought the conflict would likely conclude in a few weeks.
During a political rally in Garden City, New York, on Friday, Trump addressed the issue of rising gas prices. He justified the "tiny little bit more for your gasoline" as a necessary cost to prevent "a very evil country" from acquiring nuclear weapons, citing this as one of his core rationales for the war. Throughout the conflict, the president has fluctuated between issuing threats of escalation and asserting that a peace deal was on the horizon.
