US diesel price hits new record high in blow to Trump

President Donald Trump's public approval rating surged from a historic low, while Americans expressed mounting support for Democrats gaining control in the US Congress, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted amid the Republican Party's inaugural midterm convention. The poll, which surveyed 1,143 Americans nationwide, indicated that 63% of respondents disapproved of Trump's pledge in his convention address to guarantee all Americans receive a $5,000 dividend if Republicans maintain control in the November midterms.

Trump's standing improved to 35% approval, up from 33% in a previous poll conducted between August 28 and 31, marking his lowest approval rating ever.

Trumps popularity has waned since his initiation of a war on Iran in February, disrupting oil shipments from the Middle East and driving fuel prices to near-record highs, impacting US household finances. Republican support has waned, and in recent weeks, they have relinquished their traditional advantage as the party with better economic policies.

In a "generic ballot" poll, 44% of respondents favored Democrats, while 37% backed Republicans. This seven-point gap represented the most significant disparity since Trump resumed office in January 2025.

For Republicans, losing control of either chamber of Congress could hinder Trump's agenda during his final two years in office. Generic ballot polls offer a broad view of which party respondents prefer governing Congress at the national level, but they do not capture the intricacies of state-level and district-level races that determine Senate and House of Representatives control, where Republicans hold structural advantages.

Trump's construction projects in Washington D.C., including a ballroom for the White House, remained highly polarizing, with 91% of Democrats opposing the plans, compared to 25% of Republicans who were against them. Approximately two-thirds of Americans, including half of Republicans, deemed the construction projects a low priority.