Trump approval stalls at 32% as midterms loom

President Donald Trump faces a narrow path to protecting his party’s congressional majority, as his personal approval rating hovers near a record low. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released ahead of the November 3 elections found that 32% of respondents approve of his handling of the presidency. That figure marks a one-point increase from two weeks prior, but it leaves the president with a thin margin in a contest where he is not on the ballot.

The polling reveals a deeper structural challenge for the Republican Party. When asked to choose between a generic Democrat and a Republican candidate, 46% of respondents expressed a preference for the Democratic side. Only 38% favored the Republican option. This gap suggests that the president’s high visibility is not translating into equivalent support for the party’s down-ballot candidates.

The decline in Trump’s standing correlates with economic pressures stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. The conflict has driven up petrol and diesel prices, creating secondary effects for consumers concerned about inflation. Despite these headwinds, the president has campaigned aggressively in recent weeks, telling supporters to vote as if they are voting for him directly.

Trump has warned that a Democratic takeover of Congress could lead to a third impeachment attempt. To counter this narrative, he embarked on a nearly monthlong campaign blitz to shore up support for Republicans seeking to retain control of the House and Senate. His final rally took place on Monday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC.

The choice of venue was deliberate, as the president has prioritized renovations to the capital. The work on the Reflecting Pool ran months late and cost more than 10 times its original estimate. A special liner for the pool, which Trump touted during his campaign, began peeling away soon after installation. At the rally, he referred to the structure as a work of art that never worked, stating that it would now function properly.

The president also spent much of his address outlining his renovation plans, including a proposed Triumphal Arch that is currently facing legal challenges. He appeared to acknowledge the historical difficulty for sitting presidents in midterm elections. “For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms,” Trump said. “But we gave this a very strong shot.”

The polls were conducted ahead of the November 3 vote, where the composition of the US Congress will be determined. The results provide a snapshot of the political climate as both parties finalize their final appeals to voters.