President Trump says stopping Iran’s nuclear program is more important than fear of panic
President Trump said stopping Iran’s nuclear program is more important than fear of panic.
A recent American Research Group poll found that President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to an all-time low, with only 30% of Americans approving of his job performance as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
The poll, conducted June 16-20 among 1,100 respondents (plus or minus 3 percentage points), found that 66% disapproved of President Trump, the highest disapproval and lowest approval ratings ever recorded by pollsters during both presidential years.
Economic pessimism is widespread among those who disapprove of President Trump, with polls showing 82% expect the situation to worsen next year.
White House press secretary Davis Ingle rejected the findings in a statement to USA TODAY, pointing instead to Trump’s 2024 re-election victory as the “ultimate poll.”
Approval and financial hardship
The poll numbers released on June 22 came just days after President Trump scored similarly low in a June 18 PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. According to Marist, the poll showed the president’s approval rating at 39%, the lowest in his second administration.
The American people also remain dissatisfied with President Trump’s economy. According to the latest poll, only 26% of Americans approve of President Trump’s economic policies, while 70% disapprove.
The same economic dissatisfaction was evident in a June 18 Marist poll, in which 60% of Americans said they disapproved of President Trump’s economic performance.
Earlier this month, President Trump dismissed concerns about sharp rises in consumer prices across the country, saying, “I love inflation.”
His comments were in response to a question about the Labor Department’s latest consumer price index, which showed prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier. This is the first time the inflation rate has exceeded 4% since 2023, and the largest increase in three years.
“No, I love it. The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love inflation. You know why?” President Trump said on June 10. “Because as soon as this war is over, I can say now, I can tell you things you didn’t know.”
What is President Trump’s average approval rating?
President Trump’s approval ratings have been net negative for more than a year, and have fluctuated but become increasingly negative over the past few months. According to the aggregator, President Trump’s average approval rating is:
Kinsey Crowley contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
