05/05/2026
President Trump’s surging disapproval rating is threatening to become a liability for downballot Republicans as the party looks to keep its fragile GOP trifecta in November.
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Sunday found the president at a new high in his disapproval — 62 percent — while 37 percent said they approved of his job helming of the country. On Trump’s handling of the cost of living and inflation, 76 percent and 72 percent disapproved, respectively. In addition, 66 percent of respondents said they disapprove of how Trump is handling the Iran war.
The polling, coupled with low marks he’s received in similar surveys, risk jeopardizing GOP candidates in an election cycle already shaping up to look like the 2018 midterms fueled by anti-Trump sentiment.
“What matters most to the American people is having a Commander-in-Chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe, which is exactly what President Trump did with the successful Operation Epic Fury,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told The Hill in a statement.
“President Trump campaigned proudly on his promise to deny the Iranian regime the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, and he’s kept his promise,” Ingle continued. “The President does not make these incredibly important national security decisions based on fluid opinion polls, but on the best interest of the American people.”
Recent polling, however, has shown Trump’s approval rating taking a nosedive as his disapproval rating has continued to hit new highs.
Last week a Reuters/Ipsos poll also found Trump’s broad approval at a second-term low, with similar record lows on the economy and foreign policy.
Trump has said he “won affordability” and the battle against inflation, casting blame on his predecessor while touting his sweeping tariffs and the major tax-cut bill enacted last year.
But in March the annual inflation rate hit 3.5 percent, up from 2.8 percent in February, despite Trump’s suggestion of “fake inflation” and promises that rising costs are short-term pains. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate was at 4.3 percent in March, up from 4 percent in January.
Trump’s approval rating on the economy dropped 8 percentage points between March and April in The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. Though a majority of Republicans still had a positive view of Trump’s economic moves, that number dropped from 74 percent to 62 percent in the last month, a stark change from the president’s base.
