Trump approval hits record low in new survey

President Trump’s approval rating hit a record low in a new survey, with just over two weeks until voters decide which party will control Congress next year.

The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, released Sunday , shows Trump sitting at 33 percent approval. The rating is 4 points lower than a previous poll conducted in July, 8 points lower than at this point last year and lower than at any other time during his first term.

Roughly 66 percent of respondents said they disapprove of his job performance, including 52 percent who say they strongly disapprove, according to the survey.

Democrats also received more support nationally from likely voters than their Republican counterparts, with 52 percent to 44 percent, respectively. Among registered voters, 50 percent backed Democrats over 42 percent that chose the GOP, the data shows.

Another 56 percent of respondents who said they are uncertain about voting next month or chose to vote early said they backed Democrats. Roughly 43 percent said the same about Republicans, according to the poll.

Just over 50 percent of respondents who voted in 2022 and 2024 say they lean toward Democrats compared to 47 percent of voters leaning toward GOP candidates.

As affordability concerns rise, 48 percent of voters said they are financially worse off than when Trump returned to the White House. This is the highest percentage seen by the polling partners since 1986.

Three-quarters of respondents collectively said the economy is “not so good” or “poor,” 1 point higher than was polled in 2022 and a near reversal from 2018, during the last midterm cycle under Trump, when 65 percent said the economy was “excellent” or “good.”

The dissatisfaction with the president’s job approval extends to the Republican Party, with 40 percent of registered voters saying they trust Democrats more with the economy than the GOP, at 33 percent.

But both parties remain highly unfavorable among U.S. adults, with 54 percent disliking the Democratic Party and 63 percent saying they are unhappy with the Republican Party. The GOP is also viewed as too extreme by 55 percent of respondents, while 36 percent say the same about Democrats.

Trump has called on voters to “ pretend I’m on the ballot ,” promising $5,000 to every U.S. adult if the GOP maintains control of both chambers of Congress. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said the administration “ will own this economy ” and touted its successes through economic policy.

Consistent polling has shown that Americans remain largely concerned about the cost of living and the surging gas prices tied to the Iran war, which has been largely unpopular since it began on Feb. 28.

The Post-ABC-Ipsos survey was conducted Oct. 9-13 and included 2,545 respondents. The margin of error is 2 percentage points.