Fifteen months into his second term, Donald Trump is facing a new low in approval, a new high in disapproval and a growing share of Americans questioning both his mental and physical fitness to serve.
A new The Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll of 2,560 Americans, released Monday, lays out the numbers in full.
According to the survey, 59% of Americans say Trump does not have the mental sharpness to serve effectively as president, while 55% say he is not in good enough physical health to do the job. Both figures have worsened since February and are significantly more negative than last September, pointing to a trend moving steadily in one direction.
The fitness numbers sit inside a broader portrait of a presidency in trouble. 71% of Americans say Trump is not honest and trustworthy. 67% say he does not carefully consider important decisions. 54% say he is not a strong leader.
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There is no easy spin here. None of those figures leaves room for optimism. The administration has not identified which 29% of the country believes Trump is honest and trustworthy, but that group is doing considerable heavy lifting.
Trump’s overall disapproval has climbed to 62%, a record high across both of his presidential terms, with his approval rating dropping to 37%, the lowest of the current term. Americans disapprove of his handling of inflation by 72%, a seven-point increase from two months ago, while 76% disapprove of his handling of the cost of living. The Iran war, which started on February 28, is the common thread running through every category.
On the Iran war specifically, 66% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling and only 33% approve. Two-thirds of the country says it is headed in the wrong direction.
Politically, the shift is showing up elsewhere.
Democrats’ midterm lead over Republicans has grown to five points, with 61% of Democratic registered voters describing this year’s election as “much more important” than past midterms, compared to 35% of Republicans who say the same. The enthusiasm gap is the number Republican strategists are losing sleep over.
Inside the administration, the picture does not improve. None of Trump’s senior officials are in net positive territory.
RFK Jr. and Kash Patel are both at net negative 19 points. Pete Hegseth is at net negative 17. JD Vance is at net negative 13. Marco Rubio is the relative bright spot at net negative 7.
There is, at least, an attempt at reassurance. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that gas prices would ease. “Once the Strait opens, you’ll see prices come down, come down immediately,” he said on ABC’s This Week, before adding that it would take time to return to pre-conflict levels.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
