President Trump’s approval rating has dipped to its lowest point since beginning his second term in office, according to a new survey released Wednesday. The drop comes amid growing public unease over his handling of the economy and the fallout from the recent Signal messaging leak involving high-level national security discussions.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that only 43 percent of Americans currently approve of Trump’s job performance, marking a two-point decline since the last survey in late March. When Trump returned to office on January 20, his approval stood at 47 percent, but concerns about inflation, tariffs, and internal missteps have chipped away at that support.
In the same survey, just 37 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, and only 30 percent expressed confidence in his approach to tackling the rising cost of living. These numbers reflect growing anxiety among voters, especially as new trade policies begin to take effect.
A clear majority 52 percent said that the president’s tariff hikes on cars and auto parts would hurt people in their own communities. A similar number said that Trump’s broader strategy of increasing tariffs across the board would do more harm than good. Even among Republican and conservative-leaning respondents, about a third acknowledged that tariffs could damage the economy rather than help it.
Trump unveiled his new tariff initiative on Wednesday, announcing a 10 percent baseline tax on all imported goodsentering the U.S. Several countries face significantly steeper penalties, with China hit hardest at 54 percent. Other key U.S. trade partners, including Mexico and Canada, were excluded from the new tariffs though both still face a separate 25 percent duty unless items are covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The poll also revealed that voters were troubled by the recent Signal group chat leak that exposed internal conversations about military actions. The Atlantic reported that its editor-in-chief was accidentally added to a chat that included senior officials discussing the March airstrike on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The leak raised serious questions about operational security and judgment within Trump’s national security team.
Although the White House downplayed the incident, the publication of specific tactical details has led to heightened scrutiny and political blowback. The combination of economic uncertainty and national security concerns appears to be weighing heavily on Trump’s approval ratings.
As the administration doubles down on its tariff strategy and tries to manage internal controversies, the numbers show that voter confidence is wavering, even among some of the president’s typical base. Whether this downturn is a temporary fluctuation or the start of a broader erosion in support remains to be seen but it’s clear the challenges are piling up.