Trump Crosses Disastrous Threshold on Major Issue as Midterms Loom

President Donald Trump is now faring worse on the cost-of-living issue than former President Joe Biden did at the end of his term, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

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The survey, conducted June 3–8 among 4,531 U.S. adults, shows 70 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, compared with just 22 percent who approve.

That is despite years of high inflation that helped define Biden’s political struggles and ultimately contributed to Democratic losses in the 2024 election.

Trump campaigned on promises to bring down inflation and ease economic pressure on American households.

But persistent costs, especially at the gas pump, are now emerging as a central political challenge for Republicans heading into November’s midterm elections, with voters continuing to express frustration over everyday expenses.

Gas prices have shot up since Trump began his war with Iran in February, with the Strait of Hormuz, which carried a fifth of global oil trade, blockaded.

The national average price for regular gas climbed above $4.50 a gallon, according to AAA. In seven states, the average price of gasoline has exceeded $5 per gallon.

At the same time, inflation climbed to 3.8 percent in April, marking its highest level in almost three years.

And the poll suggests voters do not think prices will come down anytime soon.

Looking ahead, 59 percent of respondents said they expect gas prices to rise further over the next year, compared with just 17 percent who believe they will fall.

As a result, only 25 percent of respondents said Trump’s military strikes on Iran were worth the consequences.

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That is bad news for Trump and his party heading into the midterms, when the economy will be at the top of voters’ minds.

While Republicans have previously held an advantage on economic issues, the poll shows that edge has narrowed sharply.

In the latest poll, 36 percent of respondents said Democrats had a better plan for the economy, compared with 37 percent who favored Republicans.

At the same time, Trump’s overall approval rating remains near the lowest levels of his political career.

The poll shows 63 percent disapprove of his job performance overall, while 35 percent approve, largely unchanged from mid-May.

That figure sits just above his current-term low of 34 percent recorded in April and close to his first-term low of 33 percent in December 2017.

The latest numbers have intensified concern among some Republican strategists ahead of the midterms, where party control of Congress could be at stake.

Some advisers warn that fuel prices in particular could become a major political vulnerability.

“The toughest thing, too, is that we made gas prices the Achilles’ heel for Biden and now it’s our own,” one Republican adviser previously told Reuters.

With economic sentiment shifting, the same poll shows registered voters would back Democrats over Republicans on a generic congressional ballot by 41 percent to 37 percent if elections were held today.

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