Trump approval ticks up as Americans ease on prices, cost of living

Donald Trump gained a little ground as Americans grew slightly less negative about prices, but the lift looked narrow and fragile rather than durable. His approval rating rose to 36 percent, just one point higher than earlier in June, while the broader political mood still turned on whether voters felt relief at the pump and at the grocery store.

The June 12-15 survey, conducted with Ipsos’ probability-based KnowledgePanel and weighted to a nationally representative sample of 1,537 U.S. adults, showed how tightly Trump’s standing remains tied to everyday costs. Only 24 percent approved of his handling of the cost of living, up from 22 percent a week earlier and 20 percent a month earlier. Disapproval eased to 69 percent from 73 percent a month earlier, but the White House still faces a stubborn affordability problem that cuts across the electorate.

The timing mattered. The poll straddled Trump’s Sunday announcement that U.S. and Iranian leaders had agreed to end a war that had pushed gasoline prices higher. Public anxiety over fuel costs had been building for weeks: in the earlier June 3-8 survey, 59 percent of respondents said they expected U.S. gas prices to keep rising over the next year because of the Iran war. That same poll had put Trump at 35 percent approval and 63 percent disapproval overall, with 22 percent approving of his handling of the cost of living.

Even with the small improvement, the numbers suggest a presidency still pinned to economic mood. Trump’s overall approval remains near the low point of his political career, just above his second-term low of 34 percent in April and close to his first-term low of 33 percent in December 2017. The political warning signs extend beyond his personal numbers: the June 3-8 poll showed registered voters preferring Democrats over Republicans 41 percent to 37 percent if congressional elections were held today, while independents leaned away from Republicans.

The pressure is also showing inside some of Trump’s core constituencies. Among rural Americans, approval fell to 50 percent in the June 3-8 poll from 60 percent in February 2025, while rural disapproval climbed to 48 percent from 34 percent. Among evangelical Christians, approval stood at 52 percent, down from 61 percent in August 2025, and 54 percent said Trump’s approach to the Iran war was not in line with their understanding of Christianity. Support for U.S. strikes on Iran was lower still, with only 36 percent approving and 25 percent saying the benefits were worth the costs.