U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 43%, marking his lowest level since returning to office. This decline, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in late March, is attributed to growing discontent with his tariff policies and the administration’s mishandling of sensitive military information.
The poll, which surveyed 1,486 U.S. adults from March 21-23, showed a 2-point drop from the previous month, continuing a downward trend since his inauguration. Trump’s approval rating peaked at 49% shortly after he took office in January 2017, but has fluctuated significantly throughout his tenure, dipping as low as 33% in December 2017.
A key factor in the latest dip is Trump’s tariff strategy. About 52% of respondents expressed concerns that the new tariffs on autos and auto parts would negatively affect people close to them. Furthermore, 55% of Americans believe the tariff increase would do more harm than good. While some Republicans remain supportive, with a third disagreeing with the assessment that tariffs would harm the economy, the overall sentiment appears to be shifting.
In addition to economic concerns, respondents were critical of the Trump administration’s handling of classified information. The revelation that senior officials discussed a military strike on Yemen over the Signal messaging app allowing sensitive details to be inadvertently shared with a journalist caused widespread alarm. A staggering 74% of respondents, including a majority of Republicans, called this a reckless act. Additionally, 70% of those polled believe Trump should take responsibility for the situation.
On foreign policy, only 34% of Americans approved of Trump’s performance, a drop from 37% in the previous month. Conversely, his handling of immigration received a somewhat higher approval rating of 48%. Despite the latest slump, Trump’s approval remains above the historically low numbers experienced by his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, who reached his lowest approval rating of 35% shortly before the 2020 election.
This poll highlights the challenges Trump faces in maintaining public support as he navigates contentious policies and mishandled situations.
