Trump's 'strong approval' hits record low of 15% as core base erodes

Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to an all-time low, with only 15 percent of Americans saying they strongly support him — a sign that even his most loyal base is beginning to fracture.

A poll conducted by The Washington Post and Ipsos from July 8 through July 13 among 2,648 adults, released Thursday, put Trump's overall approval rating at 37 percent — unchanged from a February survey.

The more striking finding was the collapse among his most unconditional supporters. The 15 percent strong-approval figure is a record low, down from 27 percent in early last year when his second term began, 19 percent in February and now a further 4 percentage points lower.

The shift marks a sharp departure from Trump's first term, when nearly two-thirds of his supporters described themselves as enthusiastic backers.

The erosion among independents — the critical swing bloc — is particularly damaging. Only 26 percent of self-identified independents said they support Trump, and just 6 percent said they do so strongly. A full 71 percent of independents expressed clear opposition to the current administration.

However, several core conservative constituencies continue to prop up Trump's numbers: rural residents (50 percent), white men without a college degree (53 percent), white Catholics (57 percent) and, most solidly, white evangelical Protestants (70 percent).

Economic anxiety is driving much of the discontent. Some 43 percent of respondents said their household finances have worsened since the start of the second administration — more than three times the 13 percent who said the same in 2018, during the economic expansion of Trump's first term.

The turning point, the poll suggests, came with the military intervention against Iran launched in late February. The war and the sharp rise in oil prices that followed have pushed up the cost of living, dealing a direct blow to household budgets and keeping Trump's approval rating mired at historic lows.