President Trump’s disapproval rating has climbed to 62%, the highest since the start of his second term, as many voters express dissatisfaction with the economy, inflation, and the conflict in Iran.

Six months ahead of the November midterm congressional elections, the Republican Party is finding itself at a disadvantage, as American voters are generally dissatisfied with President Donald Trump’s handling of the war in Iran and various other domestic issues, according to a newly released Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.

According to the survey, conducted online from April 24–28 among 2,560 adults nationwide, Trump’s overall job approval rating as President of the United States currently stands at 37%, nearly unchanged from the 39% recorded in February.

However, his disapproval rating has surged to 62%, the highest since the beginning of his second term to date. This figure is comparable to the period when Trump left office following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Among Republican voters, Trump’s approval remains stable at 85%. However, among Republican-leaning independents, that number has dropped to 56%. Within the total group of independent voters, the approval rate is just 25%. Independent voters are considered the group capable of determining the outcome of critical U.S. elections.

The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll was weighted to reflect demographic characteristics, turnout and voting choices in 2024, as well as partisan composition, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

On specific issues, the percentage of Americans who approve of Trump’s handling of the situation in Iran is 33%, compared to 66% who disapprove. Trump’s approval rating on the economy has dropped by 7 percentage points, falling to 34% amid skyrocketing fuel prices.

The President’s approval rating on inflation fell 5 points to 27%. Regarding Trump’s handling of the cost of living in general, approximately 23% of respondents expressed approval, while 76% disapproved.

The decline in support from independent voters could threaten the Republican Party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. Looking specifically at registered voters, support for the Democratic Party is currently 5 percentage points higher than for the Republican Party.

Public approval for how the two parties handle the economy and inflation has also reached near parity. While 34% trust the Republican Party more on economic issues, the rate for the Democratic Party is 33%. Support for handling inflation is also nearly split between the two parties, whereas the Republican Party’s lead was previously in the double digits.

However, Republicans maintain a significant lead in credibility regarding the handling of crime, while Democrats are more trusted on healthcare, education, and the cost of living.

A warning sign for the Democratic Party is the perception that the party is “too liberal,” with 53% of respondents holding this view, compared to 46% in a 2013 survey. Nearly 50% of respondents believe the Republican Party is “too conservative,” 6 points higher than in 2013.

Meanwhile, 46% of respondents view Trump as “too conservative,” a slight increase from the period prior to the 2024 election, when he defeated Kamala Harris.

Another issue for the Republican Party is public disapproval of specific presidential actions, including measures implemented via executive order that are currently under judicial review.

President Trump signed an executive order calling for the end of birthright citizenship, but Americans oppose this effort by a margin of 65% to 33%.

Opposition to federal funding cuts for medical research—a move that has heavily impacted many major universities—is even higher, at 78%. Approximately 65% of respondents oppose the U.S. increasing the defense budget from $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion.

An increasing number of people are also questioning Trump’s mental acuity. Nearly 60% say he is not mentally sharp enough, and 55% say he is not in good enough health to perform his presidential duties effectively. Both metrics are slightly higher than in the February survey and significantly higher than in a September 2025 survey.