Trump Approval Rating Hits Record Low at 33% in New Poll

President Donald Trump’s standing with American voters has sunk to a record low, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released October 18. The survey puts the Trump approval rating at just 33% among U.S. adults, with 66% saying they disapprove of his job performance, according to USA Today. That marks the worst showing of his presidency in the outlets’ polling, down from 37% approval in earlier surveys conducted in April and July. More than half of respondents, 52%, said they strongly disapprove of the way Trump is handling the job.

The grim numbers land with the midterm elections just over two weeks away. The economy, the ongoing Iran war and its impact on Americans’ finances are top of mind for voters, per USA Today’s reporting, and the poll suggests those concerns are driving much of the president’s slide.

Key findings at a glance

• Trump approval rating: 33% approve, 66% disapprove among U.S. adults (Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos, released October 18).
• 52% of respondents said they strongly disapprove of Trump’s job performance.
• Fox News poll (released October 14): 36% of registered voters approve, 64% disapprove — the network’s lowest reading of either Trump term.
• About 3 in 4 Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living and inflation.
• Democrats are trusted more on the economy than Republicans, 40% to 33% — the first time in over a decade.
• Democrats lead by 8 points in polling on control of the House; voters prefer Democrats over Republicans 58% to 39% as a check on the White House.

Trump approval rating echoed in Fox News poll

The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos results nearly mirror a Fox News poll released October 14, which recorded Trump’s lowest approval rating in that network’s polling during either of his terms, according to the El Paso Times.

In the Fox News survey, 36% of registered voters said they approve of the president’s job performance, while 64% disapprove. The poll was conducted October 9-12 by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research among 1,202 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

The convergence of the two polls, from outlets with very different audiences, underscores the breadth of the president’s current unpopularity. The findings point to an erosion of support across voter groups rather than a shift driven by any single demographic.

Cost of living dominates voter concerns

The economy remains the central drag on the president’s numbers. According to the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey, about three in four Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living and inflation.

The Fox News poll painted a similar picture of economic anxiety:

• 60% of voters named the cost of living as their biggest economic concern.
• 74% rated the economy negatively.
• 55% said inflation is not at all under control.

Perhaps most significantly for the midterms, the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that Democrats are now seen as more trustworthy on the economy than Republicans, 40% to 33%. According to the outlets’ reporting, it is the first time in over a decade that Democrats have held that advantage — a remarkable reversal on an issue that has historically favored the GOP.

Midterm outlook: Democrats lead in House polling

With the midterm elections set for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the polling carries real electoral weight. Democrats now hold an eight-point lead for control of the House among registered voters, up from a three-point lead in July, according to the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.

Registered voters said they would choose Democrats over Republicans 58% to 39% as a check on the White House — roughly double the margin recorded a year ago. The midterm contest has historically been punishing for the president’s party, and the 2018 midterms offer a stark precedent: Democrats netted 41 House seats that year during Trump’s first term.

Competitive Senate battlegrounds

The Senate map adds another layer to the midterm picture. According to the Cook Political Report, the competitive Senate races this cycle include:

• Alaska
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maine
• Michigan
• Ohio
• Texas

With early voting already underway in many states and the campaign entering its final stretch, both parties will spend the remaining two weeks making their closing arguments. For the White House, the challenge is clear: turn around an economic narrative that has pushed the Trump approval rating to its lowest point ever measured by these pollsters — or face a midterm rebuke driven by voters’ pocketbooks.