Trump Approval Drops Ahead of GOP Midterm Convention

President Donald Trump is facing a decline in approval ratings as the November midterm elections approach. An NBC News Decision Desk survey conducted from August 20 to September 1 shows a nearly 10 percentage point drop in Republicans who strongly approve of the president, falling from 52% in the spring to 41%. His overall approval rating reached a term record low of 36%, a figure mirrored by a recent Reuters poll of 33%.

Economic concerns are a primary driver of the dissatisfaction. A national poll by Noble Predictive Insights for The Center Square found that 58% of registered voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, compared to 40% who approve. This trend follows a 3.4% rise in consumer prices over the 12 months ending in July and a second-quarter economic growth rate of 1.5%. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh described the economy as broadly strong with a 4.1% jobless rate, though he noted inflation remains above the 2% target.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle dismissed the polling data, arguing that the 2024 election served as the definitive measure of support for the administration. Despite the data and historical trends of presiding parties losing seats during midterms, Trump expressed optimism about the GOP's prospects. He and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to address the first GOP midterm convention in Dallas next week to mobilize voters amid economic uncertainty and the ongoing war with Iran.