Trump Sees Minor Approval Rise as Democrats Build Midterm Lead, Reuters/Ipsos Survey Shows

A newly released Reuters/Ipsos survey reveals a difficult political environment for the Republican Party heading into the midterm elections, even as President Donald Trump's personal approval rating experienced a modest uptick from historic lows. The national poll, conducted in the wake of the Republican Party's inaugural midterm convention, shows voters increasingly tilting toward Democratic control of the legislative branch.

According to the survey data, 35 percent of Americans currently approve of Trump's performance in office. While this represents a slight improvement from the 33 percent mark recorded in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between August 28 and August 31—which represented the lowest rating of his entire political career—the president remains deeply underwater with a broad majority of the electorate.

The four-day opinion poll collected responses from 1,143 adults across the United States. It carries a margin of error of three percentage points in either direction, offering a clear snapshot of national political attitudes following high-profile political events, including the Republican National Midterm Convention held in Dallas, Texas.

Despite the minor bounce in the president's individual standing, Republicans face growing headwinds on the congressional front. When asked which party they would support if midterm elections were held immediately, 44 percent of respondents chose Democratic candidates, compared to 37 percent who favored Republicans on the generic congressional ballot.

The resulting seven-percentage-point advantage for Democrats represents their largest lead on the generic ballot metric since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. This expanding deficit highlights the mounting electoral challenges confronting the governing party as November approaches.

For the White House, the stakes of the congressional midterm races could hardly be higher. If Democrats succeed in flipping either the House of Representatives or the Senate, it would severely constrain Trump's ability to enact his legislative agenda across the remaining two years of his presidential term.

While generic ballot polling provides a useful measure of broad national political sentiment, analysts note that these figures do not fully account for localized dynamics. Control of both chambers will ultimately be decided in individual state and congressional district races, environments where Republican candidates frequently benefit from significant structural advantages.

The survey also assessed public reaction to major announcements made at the Dallas convention, including a high-profile economic pledge delivered by the president. During his address, Trump proposed ensuring that every American would receive a $5,000 dividend payment, provided that voters keep Republicans in power in Congress after the November midterms.

The proposal, however, met widespread resistance from the public. Overall, 63 percent of respondents voiced disapproval of the $5,000 dividend pledge. The measure was rejected by nine in ten Democrats and drew skepticism from within Trump's own base, with four in ten Republicans stating they disapproved of the offer.

Trump's broader political vulnerability is closely linked to ongoing geopolitical and economic tensions stemming from his foreign policy decisions. His public standing began a marked downward trajectory after he initiated a war against Iran in February, an escalation that disrupted critical energy transport channels throughout the Middle East.

The conflict triggered severe supply disruptions across the region, sending domestic fuel prices climbing toward record highs and placing heavy strain on American household budgets. The resulting economic fallout has eroded public confidence in the administration and diminished the Republican Party's historical brand strength.

In a significant shift in public opinion, voters now narrowly view Democrats as better equipped to manage the economy than Republicans, favoring them by a margin of 38 percent to 37 percent. This transition, which solidified over the summer months, marks the first time in roughly a decade that Republicans have surrendered their long-held advantage on economic governance.

Public skepticism extends to the administration's domestic capital plans as well. Trump's proposed construction initiatives across Washington, D.C., which feature plans to build a new ballroom at the White House, have sparked sharp partisan debate and failed to capture broad public enthusiasm.

The poll revealed deep polarization regarding these capital building plans, with 91 percent of Democratic voters voicing opposition. In contrast, resistance was far lower among Republican voters, where only one in four expressed disapproval of the projects.

Despite the partisan divide, most Americans view the capital construction efforts as detached from pressing national needs. Approximately two-thirds of all respondents nationwide, including half of all surveyed Republicans, categorized the administration's building projects as a low priority ahead of the crucial midterm vote.