President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level during his second term, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday. The drop appears tied to growing dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy and backlash over a leaked Signal chat involving senior administration officials.
The poll shows that Trump’s overall approval rating is now at 43 percent, marking a decline of two percentage points since the last survey conducted in late March. When he began his second term on January 20, his approval rating stood at 47 percent, indicating a steady erosion of support over recent months.
Public approval of the president’s management of the economy has also taken a hit. Only 37 percent of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with his economic policies, while just 30 percent gave him positive marks for dealing with the rising cost of living. This discontent reflects a growing unease among Americans about their financial prospects under Trump’s leadership.
One of the most controversial economic moves made by the administration recently involves tariffs. On Wednesday, Trump announced a new tariff plan, imposing a baseline 10 percent tax on all imported goods. Some nations are facing significantly steeper rates, including China, which is now subject to a 54 percent tariff. However, the United States’ two largest trading partners — Mexico and Canada — were spared the harshest measures. While both still face a 25 percent duty, goods protected under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement remain unaffected.
Still, these tariff hikes are not popular with most Americans. The poll found that 52 percent of respondents believe increasing tariffs on automobiles and parts would negatively impact the people close to them. A comparable number also expressed the view that broader tariff increases, like those Trump rolled out this week, would worsen the economic situation rather than improve it. Among Republican and Republican-leaning voters, around a third said they believe such tariff policies would harm the economy.
The administration is also facing sharp criticism following the disclosure of a private Signal chat involving several national security officials. The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief revealed last week that he had been unintentionally added to the encrypted chat group, which featured discussions between high-level officials about U.S. military actions in Yemen. The messages, made public by The Atlantic, included conversations about planned strikes on Houthi rebels — attacks that were later carried out in mid-March.
The leak has sparked outrage across the political spectrum. According to the poll, 74 percent of respondents said the officials involved were “reckless” in the way they discussed sensitive military plans. This sentiment was especially strong among Democrats, 91 percent of whom condemned the behavior, while 55 percent of Republican respondents also agreed that the conduct was inappropriate. In contrast, 22 percent of the total sample downplayed the incident, saying it was harmless.
Foreign policy has also become a weak spot for the president, with only 34 percent of respondents approving of how he is managing international affairs. This figure represents a 3-point decline from the previous month’s survey. Trump did slightly better on immigration, with 48 percent of respondents indicating they were satisfied with his handling of border issues and immigration enforcement.
Another poll, the Harvard CAPS/Harris survey, also shows a decline in Trump’s standing. According to that data, his approval rating fell from 52 to 49 percent — a 3-point drop. Meanwhile, 46 percent of those polled said they disapproved of his performance as president.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted from March 31 through April 2, included responses from 1,486 U.S. adults. The survey has a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.
Despite being in the midst of an election year and regularly touting economic progress and national strength, Trump is now grappling with political fallout from both policy missteps and internal mismanagement. The reaction to the recent tariff hikes suggests that many Americans are skeptical of his economic strategy. The backlash over the Signal chat leak has further eroded public trust in his administration’s ability to maintain operational security at the highest levels of government.
While Trump has continued to defend his policies, the figures paint a challenging picture for the White House as it seeks to bolster support heading into the next phase of the election cycle. Public dissatisfaction over inflation, economic instability, and foreign policy missteps may prove to be critical hurdles for the president’s re-election campaign.
Critics have argued that Trump’s economic decisions are not only failing to address the underlying issues driving inflation and cost-of-living concerns but may also be exacerbating them through protectionist measures like tariffs. The growing unease is evident in the data showing that a significant portion of the public believes tariffs will harm rather than help the economy. Even among those within his own party, skepticism is on the rise.
The Signal chat leak, meanwhile, has raised serious questions about the administration’s internal communications protocols and judgment. The fact that an external journalist could be mistakenly added to a conversation involving military planning has led to widespread concern about the handling of classified or sensitive material. As one of the survey’s key findings showed, “74 percent, including 91 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of GOP voters, stated that the officials were ‘reckless’ for discussing the war plans in this manner.”
Even some of Trump’s supporters appear to be reconsidering their confidence in his leadership. With approval for his foreign policy at just 34 percent and growing doubt about his economic strategies, the president may face increasing resistance from independents and moderate Republicans alike.
As Trump attempts to regain momentum, his administration will need to address both the perception and the reality of its missteps. Without a course correction, public opinion may continue to trend downward, especially if economic conditions worsen or additional controversies emerge.
At the start of his second term, the president enjoyed a 47 percent approval rating. The subsequent decline to 43 percent reflects the mounting challenges and controversies that have marked recent months. Whether Trump can reverse the trend remains uncertain, but as the Reuters/Ipsos and Harvard CAPS/Harris polls suggest, the road ahead will likely be difficult.
In the coming weeks, Trump is expected to continue promoting his economic and national security policies in public appearances and campaign events. However, the current data suggest that simply reiterating past achievements may not be enough to shift public perception.
With less than a year before voters head to the polls, how the administration responds to these mounting challenges may ultimately determine the trajectory of Trump’s second term — and whether it ends in political recovery or further decline.