The popularity of President Donald Trump has plummeted two weeks before the midterm elections: a joint survey by Ipsos, The Washington Post, and ABC News revealed that only 33% of American adults approve of his administration, the lowest level recorded in that series, even below the 38% he registered after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
The survey, conducted between October 9 and 13 with 2,545 adults and a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, shows that 66% disapprove of Trump's management, with 52% expressing strong disapproval, according to a report by EFE.
This figure represents a decline of four points compared to last July and 12 points from February 2025, when the leader had a 45% approval rating at the beginning of his second term.
The Washington Post noted that this represents "a level lower than at any other moment of his first term."
A second poll, published this Tuesday by Reuters and Ipsos, placed Trump's approval even lower, at 31%, also a historic low for that series.
The main trigger for the collapse is the rising cost of living, exacerbated by the impact of the war with Iran on fuel prices.
The conflict, which began on February 28, drove the price of gasoline from $2.98 per gallon to $4.48 in September, an increase of over 50%.
The result: 71% of respondents believe that the price of gasoline is "unaffordable", compared to 28% who thought so in February, prior to the conflict.
Moody's Analytics estimated that the war and its energy effects represent an additional cost of approximately 2,000 dollars per household in the United States.
In addition, the annual inflation rose to 3.7% in September, primarily driven by energy, and 72% of those surveyed believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction, five points higher than in April.
In this context, Trump attempted to alleviate pressure on fuel prices through an energy agreement with Russia: on October 9, he announced the import of up to 4.8 million tons of Russian diesel, and days later he suspended via executive order the sanctions that Congress itself had approved against Moscow with broad bipartisan support.
The measure generated criticism from lawmakers of both parties. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as a "60-day pause" to assess its impact on international markets, but former President Mike Pence publicly condemned it, and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski warned that it would be a "historic mistake".
Ahead of the elections on November 3, 2026, in which the Republican Party is vying for control of both chambers of Congress, Democrats lead Republicans by eight points among likely voters for the House of Representatives: 52% to 44%.
This advantage contrasts with the mere three-point gap that separated both parties last July, reflecting a steady Democratic advance in recent weeks.
Several Republican congressmen are facing difficulties in districts that have historically been conservative strongholds, and Trump has intensified his campaign rally agenda nationwide in an attempt to maintain the majority.
Cook Political Report projects a Democratic gain of between five and 15 seats in the House, enough for the party to regain the majority, since Republicans currently control that chamber with only 218 seats compared to 214 Democrats.
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