Trump’s approval rating hits record low: Where do Americans stand on Iran war, US immigration?

The ‘Make America Great Again’ leader’s signature promises in his second term have included cutting down immigration pathways bringing more foreign nationals into the country and ensuring Iran doesn’t possess a nuclear weapon. A poll closing earlier this month showed his approval rating among Americans falling to 35%, lower than at any point in his current term, only for a new Reuters survey concluding on Monday (US time) to push that figure even further down.

A four-day Reuters/Ipsos poll, which received responses from 1,166 US adults nationwide and closed online on August 17 (with a margin of error of 3%), showed that Trump’s approval rating slumped to its record low of his presidency. Only 33% of American respondents approved of the Republican politician’s leadership, while a 64% majority disapproved. The new Reuters poll’s all-time approval numbers tied with the lowest level his previous term reached in December 2017.

A shockingly overwhelming majority of 80% of Americans expecting the United States’ war in Iran to continue for an extended period has played a major role in Trump’s incessantly slumping popularity. US adults’ view of Trump has especially tarnished since his return to the White House in 2025 after America and its ally nation Israel’s joint military action against Iran triggered a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas generally passes. Consequently, a surge in oil and gas prices has troubled Americans since the war started on February 28.

The current series of events starkly contrasts Trump’s self-proclaimed stance as a global “peacemaker” and promises of keeping inflation in check.

Staggering majority of Americans believe US-Iran war will stretch further

The new Reuters poll reveals about 80% of Americans, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, are convinced the US war in Iran will “go on for an extended period of time.” Just 16% of 1,166 US adults are convinced the conflict will likely end in a matter of weeks.

Meanwhile, only one in five Americans, including just half of Republicans, think the war in Iran has been worth it, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. The dissatisfaction has clearly stemmed from American households struggling to grapple with the seemingly endless uncertainty and rising prices.

On the contrary, Trump has repeatedly stressed that high oil and gas prices are worth the cost as the US fends off a “very evil country,” ensuring that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon.

Trump vs Americans intensified over ‘cost of the Iran war’

All in all, some pollsters have even found Trump’s approval rating slumping as low as 30% and rising as high as 40%, according to various survey results compiled by The New York Times.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 60% of voters opposed America’s military action against Iran, while Trump has asserted that he would “never apologise” for initiating the onslaught against Tehran in late February. Similarly, another poll by CNN/SSRS showed that 74% of Americans, including 43% of Republicans, said the war in West Asia was not worth it, taking into account its financial toll on the US or American fatalities it has caused.

Pentagon’s official war casualty database, last updated August 11, indicates that the toll for the initial US-Iran war, aka Operation Epic Fury, stands at 14 service members killed and 417 wounded in action.

On the other hand, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21 that the war in Iran has cost an estimated $37.5 billion. The figure increased from around $29 billion in early May.

Given the chaotic back and forth, the most recent August 14-17, 2026, Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that more Americans now see Democrats as having a better approach to the cost of living, a first in a decade. 38% of American voters believe Democrats can handle the economy better, while 35% count on Republicans’ approach.

This switch particularly marks a concerning reversal in what was once deemed the status quo for Republicans’ popularity on the economy front ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November.

The fears also align with NAFSA: Association of International Educators and research firm JB International’s predictions that the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown cost the US economy a potential loss of $3.4 billion in revenue and nearly 40,000 jobs across the country. The potential hit to the nation’s economy is intertwined with the report estimating the overall enrollment of international students in US colleges and universities will suffer a 9.5% decline (111,000 fewer).

Where do Americans stand on Trump’s approach to immigration?

Although Americans continue to favour the Republican approach to immigration over that of Democrats, the gap between them has alarmingly narrowed to a single percentage point.

According to the latest Reuters poll, about 40% of registered voters said Republicans have the better approach to immigration, whereas 38% picked Democrats. Back in January 2025, when Trump returned to office, Republicans led the race by 26 points; however, the gap has fallen to 2%, the lowest of the MAGA leader’s term.

Originally, Republicans’ popularity due to immigration policies may have been tied to a dramatic decline in border crossings and the overall illegal immigration crackdown. However, recent instances of deadly shootings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, and a rising number of detainees, including children, and confrontations with American citizens could have contributed to the flipped figures.

Earlier this year, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens, were killed by federal agents during the much-contested and prolonged immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.

A Reuters analysis of ICE data found that US immigration facilities had one death annually for every 3,848 detainees, based on their average daily population, between 2009 and 2024. However, the rate more than doubled since Trump’s second term started, surging to about one death for every 1,630 people based on data through early June.

A separate Associated Press investigation found that more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members have been taken into detention as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown since he took office in 2025. At least six have been deported and one self-deported, while at least eight immediate family members of US service members are still in federal immigration custody.

On top of that, ICE hit an all-time monthly high for the Trump 2.0 administration in July, as more than 46,000 facing deportation were taken into custody, according to preliminary Department of Homeland Security stats, CBS News reported.