President Donald Trump’s net approval reached a record low of -25 at the end of May, largely driven by dissatisfaction with the unfolding situation in Iran and rapidly rising prices, according to a new survey from The Economist.
The survey found that more than half of Americans currently say starting a war with Iran was the wrong decision, but even more say they are frustrated with Trump’s handling of the economy. Three in four say the economy is “fair” or “poor” and six in 10 say the economy is worsening.
“If that doesn’t change it will hurt the Republican Party in November’s midterm elections,” The Economist predicted.
On inflation and prices, Trump has a -43 approval rating — a shift that the Economist suggested is partly driven by rising gas prices, which are currently at a national average of $4.48 per gallon due to the war with Iran.
The Hill reported that Trump recently said he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situations” when considering negotiations with Iran.
“I don’t think about anybody,” he said, according to The Hill. “I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
According to the survey, the economy is ranked as the most important issue currently facing America, with 46% of U.S. adults expressing concern. Other issues, such as health care, civil rights, national security, and immigration, ranked as much less important.
The Economist also noted that Trump’s ratings are the lowest ever-recorded in the nearly two decades of the survey’s history, making him the most unpopular president by the survey’s reckoning since 2009.
Though Trump is most unpopular in Democrat-leaning states, many states that voted for him in 2024 after previously voting for Biden in 2020 are still registering net negative approval ratings. Only four states — Idaho, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming — have net positive ratings.
According to the survey, white or male voters are most likely to still approve of Trump while younger or black voters are most likely to disapprove of him. However, every demographic surveyed (sex, age, race, and educational level) had a net negative approval rating.