According to a report in the International Financial Times on May 28th, a latest poll conducted by the American polling agency Gallup shows that President Trumps disapproval rating has risen to 63%. This figure is comparable to the low levels reached by former President Nixon during the crisis surrounding the Watergate scandal.
Gallup compared Trumps approval rating to that of the 12 previous presidents who served for approximately 491 days. The results show that Trumps current position in public opinion is similar to Nixons during the time when the Watergate scandal affected his administration. His disapproval rate is around 63%.
In this comparative analysis, followed closely by Bush Jr., the opposition rate was 60%. Opposition rates that were also high included Biden, Trumps first term in office, Obama, and Carter. The opposition rates were 54%, 53%, 51%, and 42%, respectively.
On the other side, some U.S. presidents had much lower levels of disapproval during the same period. For example, Kennedys disapproval rate was only 13% during that time, while Bushs rate was 20%. Reagan also had only 22% of the population disapproving of his second term as president.
According to International Financial Times, Trumps performance in Gallups latest polls is not an isolated phenomenon. RealClearPolitics compiled poll data from various sources, including The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Reuters/IPWS, and The New York Times. Analysis shows that Trumps average level of disapproval has reached 58.3%. This figure is not only higher than the peak of 57.9% during his first term in office, but it also approaches the high point of negative public opinion after the Capitol Hill incident on January 6, 2021.
RealClearPolitics poll of Trump on social media
RealClearPolitics found that Americans attitudes toward Trump continue to deteriorate. In a combined survey, approximately 55.9% of voters expressed negative opinions about the president himself, indicating that his personal image is declining as people evaluate his performance as a leader.
Its also evident that this decline in support rates occurs among voters who are crucial for Trumps victory in 2024. A poll conducted by the Latin American civil rights and advocacy organization UnidosUS, focusing on 32 competitive congressional districts, revealed that approximately one-fourth of Latin American voters who previously supported Trump in 2024 said they would no longer vote for him. This proportion increased by 9 percentage points compared to April 2025, and by 13 percentage points compared to November last year.
Economic anxiety is considered an important factor contributing to Trumps declining popularity. Another Gallup survey revealed that 76% of Americans believe the economy is deteriorating.
This concern is not unfounded. The trend of rising prices can be seen everywhere on receipts at gas stations and supermarkets in the United States. Data from the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows that gasoline prices in the U.S. remain high. The national average price has reached $4.459 per gallon, with California experiencing prices as high as $6.094 per gallon, which is the highest rate in the country.
Inflation is also accelerating. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that the consumer price index rose by 3.8% last month, the highest level in three years. Officials from the department acknowledged that prices have been soaring for several weeks due to the ongoing war in Iran.
According to research conducted by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the United States, since February 28th when the United States and Israel initiated war against Iran, American consumers have incurred additional expenses of approximately $41.5 billion due to rising prices of gasoline and diesel fuel. This amounts to an average of about $316 per household.
Jeff Colgan, a professor of political science at Brown University, said bluntly, Our country is spending so much money on additional fuel costs. This money could have been used to improve Americas transportation infrastructure in more meaningful ways. To be honest, there really needs to be some serious restructuring involved.
According to *International Financial Times*, these figures help explain why Trumps approval rating has reached levels similar to those during the Watergate scandal. Americans typically evaluate their president based on their spending capabilities over a specific week, rather than on global macroeconomic conditions. Its not hard to understand why even loyal supporters might begin to waver when Californias gasoline prices exceed $6 per gallon, and inflation reaches its highest level in three years.
However, Trumps team chose to downplay the pressures on the domestic economy. At the beginning of this month, when asked about the strained financial situation of American families, he gave a surprising narrow-minded answer, saying, I wont consider the financial situation of Americans. I wont consider anyone. I only think about one thing: we must prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Trump has consistently denied the validity of the unfavorable poll results, calling them fake. His team expects to argue that the turbulent economic and geopolitical situations have caused fluctuations in poll data. They also claim that there is still room for a turnaround before the next election.
According to American media, on one hand, this stance reflects the argument of the Trump administration, which holds that national security must be prioritized over short-term economic difficulties. On the other hand, when major polling agencies report that Trumps popularity has dropped to record lows during his tenure, and it is the lowest among all U.S. presidents at this stage since Nixons time, such statements inevitably seem unrealistic.
