President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has reached the highest level ever recorded across both of his presidential terms, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released today. With 62% of Americans now disapproving of the president and only 37% approving, the numbers represent a stunning collapse in public confidence that spans virtually every major issue — from the Iran war and inflation to personal trust and character.
The poll was conducted April 24–28 among 2,560 U.S. adults through the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative probability-based panel recruited by mail. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.
The Core Numbers: A Historic Milestone
Trump’s approval rating has slipped from 39% in February to 37% in the latest survey, while his disapproval has climbed from 60% to 62% — a record high across both of his presidential terms. Two-thirds of Americans now say the country is headed in the wrong direction, and majorities disapprove of how the president is handling every single issue measured in the poll.
This is not a normal mid-term dip. It is the continuation of a sustained, month-by-month decline that began shortly after Trump returned to the White House and has accelerated sharply since the launch of the Iran war in late February.
What Is Driving the Disapproval
Cost of Living: The Deepest Wound
The economy and household affordability are doing the most political damage. A staggering 76% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living — the single worst rating he received across all issues tested. On inflation, 72% disapprove, a seven-point increase from February when 65% already held that view. Only 27% now approve of the president’s handling of inflation, and just 23% approve of his management of overall cost of living.
Gas prices reaching a four-year high — driven by supply disruptions tied to the Iran conflict — have been a particular flashpoint. Half of Americans in the survey expect gas prices to rise even further over the next year. Already, 44% say they have cut back on driving, 42% have reduced household spending, and 34% say they are falling behind financially. A full 40% say they are worse off financially than when Trump took office, while only 17% say they are better off.
The Economy: Republicans Lose a Signature Issue
Overall disapproval of Trump’s handling of the economy stands at 65%, with his approval on that issue having fallen seven points since February to just 34%. The political damage here extends beyond Trump personally. The Republican Party — which held a double-digit advantage over Democrats on economic trust ahead of the 2022 midterms — now finds itself in a statistical dead heat: 34% of Americans trust Republicans to handle the economy, while 33% trust Democrats, and a large share trusts neither.
On inflation specifically, the Republican advantage has also evaporated. In 2022, when inflation spiked under President Biden, Republicans enjoyed commanding leads on the issue. Today, the public is evenly split, with 33% trusting neither party to handle rising prices at all.
The Iran War: Disapproval at Vietnam- and Iraq-Era Levels
The Iran war, launched in late February, has become a defining drag on Trump’s presidency. Overall disapproval of his handling of the conflict stands at 66% to 33%. Separately, 61% of Americans say it was a mistake for the United States to use military force against Iran, while only 36% say it was the right decision. Just 19% of respondents say U.S. actions in Iran have been successful, while 39% say they have not been and 41% say it is too early to tell.
The war’s unpopularity now rivals that of the Iraq War at its most divisive point in 2006 and the Vietnam War in the early 1970s — a sobering historical comparison that underscores just how resistant the public has been to the administration’s framing of the conflict. Americans are split on next steps: 48% say the U.S. should pursue a peace deal with Iran even if it results in a worse agreement, while 46% say the U.S. should push for better terms even if it means resuming military action.
Relations With U.S. Allies: 65% Disapproval
Public frustration with how Trump has handled America’s relationships with traditional allies has also reached a majority, with 65% disapproving of his approach. Disapproval on taxes came in at roughly 6 in 10.
Immigration: The Lone Relative Bright Spot
Immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border remains Trump’s best-performing issue, though even there the numbers are upside down. Forty-five percent approve and 54% disapprove of his border handling — slightly worse than his February ratings. On immigration overall, 40% approve and 59% disapprove, essentially unchanged from February, and showing little impact from Trump’s Operation Metro Surge, which deployed federal immigration agents across Minnesota and resulted in thousands of detentions.
Personal Trust: Americans Losing Faith in the Man, Not Just the Policies
Beyond policy, the poll delivers damaging findings on Trump’s personal qualities. About 7 in 10 Americans say Trump is not honest and trustworthy. Two-thirds say he does not carefully consider important decisions. About 6 in 10 say he does not have the mental sharpness to serve as president. Nearly half — 46% — describe him as “too conservative.”
Public reaction to Trump’s rhetorical style during the Iran conflict has also been strongly negative. When presented with Trump’s warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not reach an agreement, 76% said they had a negative reaction.
The Cabinet: No Senior Official in Positive Territory
Top administration officials are also struggling to win over the public, with none of the five senior figures tested coming in at a net positive rating. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FBI Director Kash Patel both sit at net negative 19 percentage points. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is at net negative 17. Vice President JD Vance is at net negative 13, with 48% disapproving and only 35% approving. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is net negative 7.
The best-regarded figure in the poll is Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — whom Trump appointed in his first term but has publicly criticized — with a net positive rating of 7 points. Powell’s term as chair ends this month.
Party Support: Even the Republican Base Is Softening
Within the Republican Party, Trump retains strong overall support — 85% of Republicans approve of him, including 95% of self-identified MAGA Republicans. But the intensity of that support has declined meaningfully. Only 45% of Republicans strongly approve today, compared to 53% in September. Among voters who did not cast a ballot in 2024, just 26% approve of Trump, down sharply from 45% in early 2025.
Midterm Warning: Democrats Now Hold the Enthusiasm Edge
Six months before the November midterm elections, the political environment has shifted substantially in Democrats’ favor. Among registered voters, Democrats hold a 5-point advantage over Republicans on the question of which party they prefer in House elections — up from a 2-point edge in February. Among voters who say they are absolutely certain to cast a ballot, that advantage grows to 9 points.
Voter enthusiasm is also skewing Democratic in a meaningful way. Sixty-one percent of Democratic voters say their vote this year is “much more important” than in past midterm elections. Only 35% of Republicans say the same. Among Democratic registered voters, 79% say they are absolutely certain to vote, compared to 72% of Republicans.
The president’s weak approval ratings now put the Republicans’ slender House majority in serious danger and are beginning to threaten their Senate majority as well. Democrats have also made gains on which party Americans trust to handle major issues — including the economy, inflation, and health care — eroding advantages Republicans have held for years.
The White House has pushed back on the polling data. Spokesman Davis Ingle repeated a statement he has offered in response to previous surveys: “The ultimate poll was November 5th, 2024, when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.”
The Bigger Picture: A Consistent, Downward Trend
What makes this poll particularly significant is not any single number but the consistency of the trendline. Trump began his second term with an approval rating in the high 40s. It has declined steadily — through tariff controversies, the Epstein file disputes, the federal government shutdown, and most sharply since the launch of the Iran war and the resulting spike in energy prices. The 62% average disapproval rate now being recorded across multiple major polls is higher than what individual surveys recorded during even the most turbulent moments of his first term.
With the midterms approaching and no clear resolution to the Iran conflict in sight, the administration faces the challenge of reversing a trend that has proven resistant to correction over many months. Whether that reversal is possible — and how quickly — may determine not just Trump’s political legacy, but the balance of power in both chambers of Congress for the remainder of his presidency.