President Trump’s Approval Rating Dips to New Low as Americans Say His Policies Are Making Them ‘Financially Worse Off’

As the war with Iran reaches its fourth month, President Donald Trump’s approval rating across multiple polls is on a downward trajectory as average Americans feel the burden in their wallets.

According to a New York Times/Siena poll conducted on May 11-15 and published on Monday, May 18, only 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance as president in his second term. The dip marks the lowest approval rating in his second term and well below average for a president at this stage in their term, per The New York Times.

One of the biggest sticking points for Americans right now seems to be the war with Iran, which the poll shows only 30 percent of Americans thought was a good decision by Trump, 79, while 64 percent believe it was the wrong move.

A CBS/YouGov poll conducted from May 13-15 paints a similar picture of the American public’s frustration with the Iran war. The poll shows that 57 percent of Americans believe the president’s economic policies have left them “financially worse off” while just 14 percent said their situation was better.

Much of the financial strain at the moment is coming from high gas prices as a result of the Iran war, which has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a small but important waterway that is essential to the global oil trade. As a result of the Strait being closed and negotiations with Iran not making much headway, AAA reports Americans are seeing gas prices reach more than $4.51 per gallon, up from $3.9 per gallon a year ago.

In addition to pains at the pump, the American taxpayers are footing the bill for the Iran war. According to a May 12 USA Today report, the war’s cost was recently updated from $25 billion to $29 billion. The outlet reports the Pentagon is seeking $1.5 trillion in its next federal budget, but could ask for hundreds of billions of dollars more if the war with Iran continues at this rate.