Trump's Approval Rating Holds at 35% in May

President Trump's approval rating stayed at 35% in the latest poll by Reuters (Center bias) and Ipsos, just one percentage point above his record low approval rating in April.

The Details: Reuters and Ipsos found that 65% of Americans disapproved of Trump as of early June, citing his cost-of-living management and expectations that gasoline prices will continue to rise amid the Iran war. The latest poll also showed registered voters said they'd pick Democrats over Republicans by 41% to 37% if congressional elections were held today. Trump's approval ratings have fallen across multiple demographics, including race, education level and gender. The poll ran between June 3-8.

Compared to Biden: Reuters and USA Today (Lean Left) both compared Trump's ratings to former President Biden's. Reuters wrote that Biden's "struggle" with several years of inflation "helped uplift Trump" in 2024. Both outlets also mentioned that voters said they would vote for Democrats over Republicans. USA Today wrote that trust in Republicans' ability to handle the nation's economy has "recently dissolved" as 37% of voters think Republicans have a better economic plan than Democrats (36%).

Iran War: USA Today and Reuters both also focused on the role the Iranian war has had on Trump's approval rating. USA Today quoted a Moody's Analytics economist who said the cost-of-living spike comes from "increased military spending" and higher oil prices as the war continues. The economist also emphasized the war's impact on lower- and middle-income households, saying the war has cost US consumers around $100 billion, or roughly $750 per household. Washington Examiner (Lean Right) wrote, "Trump has repeatedly indicated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon outweighs concerns about rising consumer costs," and cited moments Trump has defended the war.

Is the US Great?: Fox News (Right) covered a recent poll by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which showed 30% of Americans thought there was a better nation than the US. It also shared results showing that 25% felt that the US stands above every other nation in the world. Fox included Trump's low approval ratings further down in its reporting, though only mentioned specific disapproval over his handling of the economy. It also included the margin of error for Reuters' poll whereas USA Today and Reuters didn't spend too much time on it in their coverage.

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