President Trump’s net approval rating has dropped to its lowest point yet in a new Economist/YouGov poll, which was conducted as the administration took military action in the Middle East.
The survey was in the field during Trump’s announcement that the U.S. had carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. It found that just 40 percent of Americans approve of his job performance, while 54 percent disapprove—a 14-point deficit. This marks the lowest net approval rating of Trump’s second term, and is worse than most of his numbers during his first term in office.
The poll also showed Americans expressing more disapproval than approval across several key issues. On national security, Trump was underwater by 2 points. On inflation and prices, he faced a much larger gap, with a negative 26-point net approval. His handling of the Israel-Iran conflict also took a hit, dropping to a negative 17-point net rating, down from negative 4 points just one week earlier.
Despite the overall decline, Trump’s decision to strike Iranian nuclear targets seemed to strengthen support among Republicans. Before the strikes were announced, 57 percent of Republicans approved of his handling of the Iran-Israel situation, and about one-third supported military action against Iran’s nuclear program. After the strikes, GOP approval surged to 82 percent, and support for bombing the facilities jumped to 70 percent.
On the other hand, opposition among Democrats intensified. Prior to the announcement, 56 percent of Democrats opposed targeting the nuclear sites. That number climbed to 74 percent afterward. Democratic leaders have been vocal in their criticism of the strikes, with some even suggesting that Trump’s decision to bypass Congress and authorize the attack could justify impeachment proceedings.
The widening divide between party lines underscores the political risk Trump is taking as he deepens U.S. involvement in the Middle East. While the move has energized his base, it has also escalated tensions with his critics and further polarized an already divided electorate.
