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 21 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.

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.