The new data come as midterm elections are exactly six months away. Trump’s approval rating is now 37%, down two percentage points from the 39% figure recorded on Feb. 22.
The 62% disapproval rating is the highest of his two terms in office and just a few percentage points below the disapproval rating for his handling of “the situation with Iran,” which is 66%. Trump said on Sunday on Truth Social that the U.S. will help guide stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz in a “humanitarian gesture” called “Project Freedom,” one day after receiving a new peace proposal from Iran. The conflict started just over two months ago on Feb. 28.
Trump’s ratings on the cost of living, the economy, and inflation have also declined significantly since the most recent poll. 76% of respondents “disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the cost of living in the U.S.” His approval rating on inflation is 27%, and his rating on the economy has decreased by seven percentage points since Feb. 22.
When this same question was asked about the economy ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans had a double-digit advantage.
Trump’s historically high approval rating on the economy has been cited as a core reason for his victory in the 2024 presidential election. Former President Joe Biden’s term saw record-breaking inflation, with a peak of 9.1% in June 2022, the highest since 1981.
At the beginning of 2026, inflation held flat for two months at 2.4%, not far off from the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Inflation then increased to 3.3% in March, with higher gas prices affecting consumers. Trump’s tariff regime throughout his second term has also raised consumer prices.
The term “affordability” has plagued Republicans after tarrif-induced price increases were cited as a major reason why Democratic Govs. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) secured victories in the 2025 gubernatorial elections held last November.
MIDTERM COUNTDOWN: DEMOCRATS LEAD EARLY, BUT GOP SEES A PATH THROUGH THE MAP
When asked who they would favor if the election for the U.S. House of Representatives were held today, registered voters favored Democrats by 5 percentage points, 49% to 44%.
Democrats are also 21 percentage points more likely to say that “voting this fall is more important than previous midterms,” casting doubt on the GOP’s ability to deliver strong turnout from its base. Only 59% of ‘non-MAGA Republicans’ say they ‘are absolutely certain to vote’ in the fall.
