A Financial Times poll conducted by Focaldata found that only 33% of registered voters approve of Donald Trump's performance as president, marking his lowest approval rating since May when the newspaper began asking the question. The poll also revealed that nearly two-thirds of registered voters believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction and 57% say they are worse off financially under Trump's presidency. The key number from the poll is 33%, which represents Trump's record-low approval rating. A separate Gallup poll found that more Americans identify as Democrats than Republicans, with 31% identifying as Democrats compared to 25% who identify as Republicans.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33%, the lowest since May, according to a poll conducted by Financial Times and Focaldata. The poll suggests that pessimism about the economy and cost of living among Americans is a primary reason for the drop, with almost two-thirds (63%) of registered voters believing the economy is heading in the wrong direction. Additionally, 57% of those polled said they were worse off financially under Trump's presidency, and only 53% of Republican voters approve of how he has handled jobs and the economy. These numbers represent a decline from previous months, and come as fuel costs hit an unprecedented high in the US, with diesel prices soaring to $5.85 per gallon.
Written for “Trump Approval Rating Falls” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 5214 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-06
Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to a record low in a major poll, presenting a headache for Republicans in the lead up to the midterm elections.
asserted
rating → drop → elections
Less than two months before November’s elections, a Financial Times poll carried out by Focaldata found that only 33 percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s performance as president.
asserted
percent → carry → president
This is the lowest number recorded since the newspaper began asking the question in May and a three-point decrease from the previous month.
uncertain
newspaper → record → month
Pessimism about the economy and the cost of living among Americans was a primary reason for Trump’s dropping numbers, the poll suggested, as the majority of those polled rejected his trade and tariff policy.
uncertain
majority → drop → policy
Almost two-thirds of registered voters said they believed the economy was heading in the wrong direction, and 57 percent said they were worse off financially under the Trump presidency.
asserted
they → register → presidency
Only 53 percent of Republican voters said they were in favor of how Trump has handled jobs and the economy, representing an almost eight-point drop from the previous month.
asserted
Trump → say → month
It comes as fuel costs hit an unprecedented high in the U.S. on Friday, with diesel soaring to a record national average of $5.85 a gallon as the ongoing war with Iran continues to disrupt global fuel flows.
Trump on Friday backed up comments from his vice president and insisted the Iran conflict is a relatively minor operation, rather than a full-on war.
"I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us,” the president told reporters in the Oval Office.
asserted
president → come → Office
“It’s not a big thing.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
During his comments on Friday, the president also downplayed the centrality of the Hormuz Strait, another important aspect of the war.
asserted
president → downplay → war
The president claimed that new pipelines, shipping routes and overland oil transport would replace the key waterway, which is a major global oil hub.
asserted
which → claim → waterway
“The Hormuz Strait is not what it used to be,” Trump said.
asserted
Trump → use → ?
Iran has used its proximity to the strait to hamstring global oil trade and continues to exert leverage over the U.S., though the president claimed the waterway was dwindling in importance.
asserted
waterway → use → importance
“They’re going to end up with a Hormuz Strait that’s not very necessary anymore,” he said.
asserted
he → go → Strait
The poll will make for tough reading for Republicans who hope to retain control of the House and Senate in November's elections.
asserted
who → make → elections
A separate poll found that a growing number of Americans now identify as Democrats.
asserted
number → find → Democrats
The latest Gallup data shows 31 percent of U.S. adults identified as Democrats in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 25 percent who identified as Republicans.
asserted
who → show → Republicans
