President Trump signs executive order on psychedelic drugs with Joe Rogan
Podcaster Joe Rogan accompanied President Trump in the Oval Office as he signed an executive order aimed at accelerating research into psychedelics.
Amid growing dissatisfaction with the economy and the war with Iran, polls show President Donald Trump’s approval ratings for a second term hit a record low, a potentially important warning for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
An NBC News Decision Desk poll released April 19 found that 63% of adults disapprove of Trump’s performance as president. This is the lowest rating published by the outlet since Trump was re-elected as president in January 2025. Additionally, 37% of adults said they supported Trump.
The poll was conducted between March 30 and April 13 among a national sample of 32,433 adults aged 18 and older. The margin of error is ± 1.8 percentage points.
According to the newspaper, the decline in approval ratings for the president’s inauguration is mainly due to worsening public opinion regarding the domestic economic situation and the progress of the United States’ joint war against Iran.
Other recent polls measured similar declines, led by negative views about the economy and the ongoing wars that have sparked growing conflict in the Middle East.
The New York Times’ average daily poll shows the president’s total approval rating at 40%, with a majority disapproval at 56%. Recent polls show most Americans disapprove of a war with Iran, while frustrations with the economy and affordability have dogged Trump for months.
As with several polls conducted over the past year, the economy ranked as the top issue for voters. 29% said it was the most important issue, followed by 24% who said it was a threat to democracy.
A new poll finds fewer than one-third of Americans, 32%, approve of President Trump’s actions to address inflation and the cost of living. A further 68% said they did not support it. The poll also found that a majority of Americans (52%) also said they “strongly disapprove” of President Trump’s handling of the issue. This is an increase of 7 points since the last time the NBC News Decision Desk asked questions in August 2025.
Regarding the Iran war, two-thirds (67%) of Americans disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the conflict. Only a third, or 33%, said they agreed. Additionally, 54% said they were “strongly opposed” to the war, compared to 19% who said they “strongly supported” it.
The survey also found a new low in terms of the country’s direction. Just over two-thirds of respondents, 67%, said the United States is on the wrong path. This is a two-point increase from when the pollster asked the same question in its previous survey, which ended in early February. A further 33% (about one-third) said the country was on the right track.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
