President Donald Trump’s approval rating has plummeted to 35%, marking the lowest second-term standing of any US president at this stage, as economic discontent and the ongoing Iran War batter his political capital. A CNN poll conducted between March 26 and 30 shows his net approval at a dire -18 points, worse than Richard Nixon’s during the Watergate scandal.
Economic metrics paint an even grimmer picture. Only 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, a career low, while a staggering 72% disapprove of his management of inflation—surpassing the worst figures for both Jimmy Carter and Joe Biden at comparable points in their presidencies. Gas prices, which have soared from $2.46 to over $4 per gallon since the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, draw ire from 76% of respondents, a figure exceeding Biden’s lowest mark.
Megyn Kelly, a prominent conservative commentator, has sounded the alarm on Trump’s eroding base. “The president is spiraling downward in his poll numbers,” Kelly said. “He’s collapsed now with the white working class.”
She pointed to a disconnect between Trump’s foreign policy focus and the priorities of his core supporters. “They don’t give two shits about the Strait of Hormuz, about Karg Island, about blockades in the Middle East,” Kelly added. “They care about their pocketbooks and being able to pay their mortgages and their grocery bills.”
The Iran War continues to weigh on markets and public sentiment. Trump’s national address on April 2, where he claimed US goals were “nearing completion” while projecting two to three more weeks of strikes, failed to reassure investors. S&P 500 futures erased $550 billion in market cap within 25 minutes of the speech, while oil prices jumped from $98 to nearly $104 per barrel.
Political fallout extends beyond domestic borders. Trump’s recent musings to Britain’s Telegraph about a potential US withdrawal from NATO, amid allies’ reluctance to join the conflict, add another layer of uncertainty. Meanwhile, a UMass Amherst poll pegs his overall approval even lower at 33%, with just 29% supporting his handling of the Iran strikes.
Among key demographics, the damage is stark. Independents rate Trump at a net -45 points, and even among Republicans under 45, economic approval has cratered by 23 points since January. With two-thirds of Americans believing his policies have worsened economic conditions, up 10 points since the start of the year, Trump faces a narrowing path to rebuild trust before the next electoral cycle.
The latest data underscores the scale of the challenge: 27% approval on inflation management represents a 17-point drop from a year ago, signaling a profound shift in voter priorities as kitchen-table issues dominate the national conversation.
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