A new poll published by the Financial Times shows that more than half of US voters disapprove of President Trump's handling of inflation and the economy, suggesting that tariffs and the Iran war are hurting the Republican Party's midterm election prospects.
The nationwide poll, conducted from 1 to 5 May by data research firm Focaldata, surveyed 3,167 registered voters. It found that inflation and the cost of living are the top concerns for voters ahead of the November midterm elections. Nearly 58% of registered voters expressed strong or slight dissatisfaction with the president's handling of inflation and the cost of living, while just over 50% said they were dissatisfied with his performance on jobs and the economy. 55% of respondents believe tariffs are harming the US economy, with only about 25% saying trade policy has been beneficial.
The Iran war has pushed petrol prices sharply higher, fracturing Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) base. The poll found that around 54% of voters are dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the Iran war, including around one in five Republicans.
On overall job approval, just over 54% of US voters expressed dissatisfaction with Trump's performance as president, while only just over 39% approved. More than 58% of independent voters hold a negative view of him. In midterm voting intentions, Democrats lead Republicans by eight percentage points among all registered voters, with an even wider lead among independents.
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