Trump's Approval Falls to 33%, Lowest of Presidency
President Trump's approval rating fell to 33% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Aug. 17, the lowest of his current term and tied for the lowest of his presidency.
- 64% of respondents disapproved of Trump's job performance in the poll.
- 1,166 U.S. adults were surveyed online Aug. 14–17; margin of error is ±3 points.
- 80% of Americans — including 71% of Republicans — expect U.S. involvement in Iran to last an extended period.
- $4.06 was the average gallon price on Aug. 17, up from $3.13 a year earlier.
Why it matters: Trump's approval had opened his current term near 50% but has fallen steadily since he ordered strikes on Iran alongside Israel earlier this year.
- The Iran conflict has paralyzed roughly a fifth of global oil trade, raising household fuel costs.
- Broader polling averages — RealClearPolitics (39.2%), the New York Times (37%), and Silver Bulletin (38.3%) — also show Trump in negative territory as of Aug. 17.
How 12 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the numbers but differs in emphasis: left-leaning outlets foreground the human and geopolitical costs of the Iran war, while center outlets focus on the electoral risk to congressional Republicans.
Center coverage, 7 sources: The center frames the approval drop as a measurable political liability tied to economic pain and midterm vulnerability, presenting the numbers in their broadest polling context.
USA Today15hTrump approval rating sinks to yet another low in new poll
Reuters3hUmfrage: Zustimmung für Trump fällt auf Tiefstwert von 33 Prozent
Jerusalem Post11hTrump approval drops as majority of Americans fear prolonged Iran conflict - poll
Newsweek9hTrump approval rating ties all-time low: A snapshot of turned-off voters
The Hill15hTrump’s approval drops 2 points in two weeks: Reuters/Ipsos pollTITimes of Israel6hTrump’s approval rating sinks to presidency low of 33% as Iran war drags onLeft coverage, 3 sources: The left frames the poll as a verdict on a costly, open-ended war that Trump promised would be brief, with gas prices and military entanglement as the defining failures.
What’s next: November midterm elections put Republican congressional majorities at risk amid the approval slide.
- Trump threatened to bomb Oman if its Iran negotiations undercut a U.S.-brokered peace deal.
- Whether the approval decline accelerates if the Iran conflict and high gas prices persist through the fall.
- Whether any peace deal in the Strait of Hormuz could reverse Trump's polling before November.