Trump approval at 33 percent, lowest of term, as Iran conflict drags

President Donald Trump's approval rating has reached the lowest point of his second term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Monday. Thirty-three percent of respondents approved of his performance, down from 35 percent the prior week, while 64 percent disapproved. The figure matches the bottom reading from his first term in December 2017.

The decline coincides with U.S. strikes on Iran conducted alongside Israel. Those operations have disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly a fifth of global trade. Gasoline prices have risen in response, adding pressure on household budgets already strained by earlier inflation. Trump had campaigned on containing price increases and steering clear of prolonged foreign conflicts.

The survey found that 80 percent of Americans, including majorities in both parties, expect U.S. involvement in the region to continue for an extended period. Only 16 percent anticipated a quick resolution within weeks. Trump has described the higher fuel costs as a necessary short-term burden to achieve security goals, though he initially indicated the operation would conclude rapidly.

Economic data show gasoline prices have climbed since the strikes began. This development has drawn attention from Republican candidates facing midterm elections in November, where control of Congress remains at stake. Voters in energy-dependent areas have registered particular concern over the added expense at the pump.

Trump addressed the issue at a rally in Garden City, New York, last week, framing the trade-off as acceptable given the strategic aims. Critics within his own party have noted that sustained higher energy costs risk undercutting the economic message that helped secure his return to office.

The poll also captured broad skepticism about a swift end to tensions, with 87 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans agreeing the conflict would drag on. Such views reflect the difficulty of containing regional fallout once military action begins, a pattern observed in prior interventions.

Republican strategists have pointed to the need to refocus attention on domestic priorities ahead of the midterms. Historical polling shows that foreign policy episodes often shift voter priorities toward pocketbook issues when costs become visible. The current numbers suggest those dynamics are already at work.