Trump's Approval Rating Hits Historic Low in Second Term as Iran Crisis and Economic Fears Mount
A new NBC News poll published on Sunday reveals that Donald Trump's approval rating has plummeted to its lowest point on record during his second term, with just 37 percent of Americans supporting his performance as commander-in-chief. Nearly two-thirds, or 63 percent, now disapprove of his handling of world affairs, marking a significant downturn in public sentiment.
Economic Discontent Fuels Widespread Disapproval
Half of all American adults report they "strongly" disapprove of the Trump presidency's direction, a sentiment exacerbated by economic struggles. On inflation and cost-of-living issues, only 13 percent strongly approve of Trump's record, while 68 percent believe he is not doing enough to address these challenges. For the first time in an NBC poll, 52 percent strongly disapprove of the administration's progress on inflation, surpassing the 50 percent threshold.
With under 30 percent of Americans accepting the administration's stance that affordability concerns are a non-issue or a "Democratic hoax," it is evident that even Republican voters are demanding more action to improve economic conditions for struggling families.
Republican Support Shows Signs of Erosion
Trump's support is beginning to weaken among Republicans, who have largely remained aligned with him since his first term in 2017, aside from a brief period after the January 6 attack on Congress. According to the NBC poll, the share of Republicans who "strongly" support the president's job performance dropped six percentage points between late January and mid-April, now standing at just 52 percent.
Overall, 83 percent of Republicans say they either strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's record, a decline of four percentage points from the previous NBC poll in late January or early February. This contrasts with Gallup surveys throughout 2025, which never showed Trump's approval rating among Republicans below 89 percent, and as recently as September, he enjoyed 93 percent support from the party.
Gas Price Surge and Iran Conflict Drive Public Anxiety
The poll highlights that 40 percent of Americans feel financially worse off than a year ago, with only 19 percent reporting improvement—the lowest figure for Trump since taking office. This economic distress is closely tied to rising gas prices, which have surged by over $1 per gallon since the war with Iran began in late February.
Nearly two-thirds of American adults, 65 percent, indicate that increasing gas prices pose at least somewhat of a problem for their financial outlooks this year. The Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created a vexing supply strain, with Trump's declaration on Friday that the strait was "fully open" proving short-lived as tensions resurfaced within 48 hours.
Trump's Threats and Negotiation Struggles
In response to renewed hostilities, including a tanker being fired upon by an IRGC vessel early Sunday, Trump re-issued threats on Truth Social, warning to target Iranian civil infrastructure such as bridges and power plants if safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is not ensured. He wrote, "We're offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
These threats have largely failed to elicit a response from Iran, which has only permitted ships to pass intermittently during U.S.-led peace talks in Pakistan. The ceasefire, set to expire on Tuesday, is being overseen by a U.S. team led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, following the departure of Vice President JD Vance from negotiations.
The NBC poll, conducted by SurveyMonkey from March 30 to April 13 with responses from 32,433 American adults, carries a margin of error of 1.8 percentage points, underscoring the reliability of these findings amid a turbulent political and economic landscape.
