POTUS APPROVAL FALLS TO 33 PERCENT AS IRAN WAR WEIGHS ON MIDTERMS

Developing story: Polling, campaign strategy, gas prices and public views of the Iran war may change as the conflict and midterm calendar develop.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33 percent, the lowest level of his presidency, as Americans grow more concerned that the war with Iran will last for an extended period, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded Monday. The finding adds a clear political cost to the post-deadline escalation around Hormuz and the broader Middle East conflict.

The four-day poll found that 64 percent of respondents disapproved of Trump’s performance. Reuters reported that the 33 percent approval figure was down from 35 percent earlier this month and tied the lowest point Trump reached during his first term in December 2017.

The Iran war is central to the decline. Reuters reported that 80 percent of Americans, including 87 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans, believe U.S. involvement in Iran will continue for an extended period. Only 16 percent said the conflict would likely end in a few weeks.

That perception cuts against Trump’s earlier public assurances that the conflict would be brief. Since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February, the war has disrupted a major share of global oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz and helped push gasoline prices higher for U.S. households.

The economic connection is politically dangerous for Republicans. Trump campaigned on controlling inflation and avoiding long wars, but he has now told voters that paying a little more for gasoline is worth the cost of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Reuters reported that only one in five Americans in the poll said the war has been worth it.

The poll also showed Democrats gaining ground on economic management. Reuters reported that 38 percent of voters said Democrats would handle the economy better, compared with 35 percent who preferred Republicans. Democrats were also viewed as better positioned to manage the cost of living, a central issue as energy prices rise.

Republicans still held a narrow edge on immigration, but that advantage has shrunk sharply. Reuters reported that 40 percent of registered voters preferred the Republican approach on immigration, compared with 38 percent for Democrats, the smallest margin of Trump’s term on the issue.

The midterm implications are immediate. The November congressional elections are 77 days away, and Republicans are defending narrow majorities while the administration faces an unpopular war, rising fuel costs and renewed market stress. The poll does not determine outcomes, but it identifies the pressure points shaping the fall campaign.

What is confirmed is that Trump’s approval has fallen to 33 percent in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll and that a large majority expects prolonged U.S. involvement in Iran. What remains unresolved is whether the administration can change public opinion through a diplomatic breakthrough, lower energy costs or a clearer explanation of war aims before November.

Fact-check date: August 18, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters; Reuters/Ipsos. Developing note: Polling, campaign strategy, gas prices and public views of the Iran war may change as the conflict and midterm calendar develop.