President Donald Trump’s approval rating fell to 32%, the lowest of his political career, as Republican support weakened over the cost of living, rising fuel prices and the Iran war. A Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,277 adults released Sept. 21 found that only 17% approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, the issue respondents identified as most important for November voting, while 82% expected the conflict to continue for an extended period. The latest Reuters/Ipsos results also showed Republican approval of Trump’s job performance at 73%, down from 82% the previous week, 86% in January 2026 and 91% shortly after his second inauguration. Since January, Republican approval of his economic performance has fallen 24 points to 56%, while approval of his cost-of-living performance has dropped 26 points to 44%. Trump’s three-day visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his United Nations speech kept foreign affairs at the center of the political agenda, even as Republican candidates distanced themselves from the Iran war and voters focused on groceries, gas, health care and borrowing costs. A Quinnipiac poll found that about two-thirds disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy and the Iran war, while Democrats led Republicans 49% to 38% on which party voters wanted to control the House. The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll found that 45% intended their congressional vote mainly as a vote against Trump, compared with 24% mainly for him. Analysts and Republican strategists differed over whether economic dissatisfaction would depress Republican turnout or could be countered by emphasizing improvements under Trump.