More than half of US voters give negative assessments of President Donald Trump's economic policies, according to a new poll. As the war between the United States and Iran has increased cost-of-living burdens for Americans, observers say the findings could weigh on the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.
According to the Financial Times on the 10th (local time), a nationwide poll conducted last week by research firm Focaldata found that US voters cited inflation and cost-of-living issues as the most important concerns heading into the midterm elections. In particular, about 58% said they were "very" or "somewhat" dissatisfied with Trump's handling of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
Assessments of jobs and the overall economy were also negative. More than half of respondents said they were not satisfied with Trump's handling of economic policy. Fifty-five percent assessed that Trump's tariff policies had a negative impact on the US economy. By contrast, only about a quarter of respondents said trade policies had helped the economy.
"With six months until the midterm elections, the surge in energy prices triggered by the Iran war is increasing the burden on consumers," the FT noted. "Signs of cracks are appearing even within Trump's core support base, which had backed him for his pledges to curb inflation and put America first."
The United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in February, and the war that followed over several months triggered a sharp rise in international oil prices. Last week, the average US gasoline price rose to about $4.60 per gallon, nearly 50% higher than when the war broke out.
Assessments of foreign policy were also unfavorable. About 54% of respondents rated Trump's handling of the Iran war "strongly" or "somewhat" negatively. Positive assessments fell short of one-third.
Discontent over the economy and the handling of the war is also reflected in the president's overall approval rating. About 54% of all respondents rated Trump's overall job performance negatively, while only about 39% gave positive assessments.
The FT said the poll was conducted online from May 1 to 5. A total of 3,167 registered voters participated in the survey, with a margin of error of ±2.1 percentage points.
