It’s hard to ignore a number like 73%. A new CNN poll by SSRS found that almost three quarters of American adults say President Donald Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems. This isn’t a split between parties or a small change. 27% say he’s put the right things first. It’s striking to look at that figure from a distance. Not because polls have never shown this direction before, but because the dissatisfaction seems to be widespread and steady right now.
Trump’s approval rating has leveled off at 34%, which is the same as the all-time low he hit in the last few days of his first term, right after January 6, 2021. A lot of people thought that was the bottom of politics at that time. It’s important to note that we seem to be back there, but this time the situation is different. There was no one dramatic event. There is only a slow buildup of economic anger, a long-lasting war in Iran, and a growing belief among Americans that the administration has lost interest in their everyday lives.
In terms of the economy, the numbers are not good. About two-thirds of Americans think that Trump’s policies have made things worse for the economy instead of better. Gas prices have become a very touchy issue. Only 21% of people are happy with how he is handling this problem, and 74% of Americans say that rising gas prices have really hurt them, which is a big jump from just 63% a few months ago. That’s not just a general complaint. People are changing what they buy at the store and at the gas station. They are also thinking twice about going on road trips and making school runs. Those numbers make you feel how heavy it is.
What’s going on in Iran adds another layer. Most Americans now think the military conflict will last a long time, but only about a quarter of them think Trump has a clear plan for how to handle it. That number was more like 40% early in the war. There’s been a drop in confidence; now 62% say they don’t see Trump as a good world leader, up from 54% at the start of his second term. That view might change after a few high-profile events, but there doesn’t seem to be a clear turning point on the horizon right now.
The wear and tear on his own base may be the most telling sign. The number of Republicans who support Trump has dropped to 78%, which is a new low for the party. An even bigger surprise is that only 19% of Republicans are excited about the rest of his second term, down from 38% in the spring. It’s not a collapse, but it is a big change. Politics move forward with the help of enthusiasm, but it’s not as strong as it was a year ago.
The public is also clearly upset about Trump’s personal business dealings and the construction projects in Washington, D.C., like the new White House ballroom and the remodeled Reflecting Pool. 58% of those surveyed say they are unhappy or angry about these efforts. What’s even more telling is that only 43% of Republicans feel good about the construction projects, and a big chunk of those say it doesn’t matter to them at all. It’s a problem when your own supporters don’t care about you.
After reading all of this, it seems like the poll shows more than just disapproval ratings and issue scores. It shows that the people don’t trust their leaders, and they’re not necessarily angry about it; they’re just tired. The number of Americans who strongly dislike Trump has reached a high point for both of his terms. It’s still not clear if this hardened feeling will have long-lasting political effects. However, the CNN/SSRS poll tells a story that will be hard for the White House to change.
