KeyTakeaways
- President Trump’s job approval hovers at 36%, marking a record low for his second term.
- A majority of Americans (71%) view the president as “not even‑tempered,” with deep partisan divides.
- Nearly half (49%) believe Trump’s mental sharpness has deteriorated, especially among Democrats and independents. – Public perception of Pope Leo XIV is markedly more favorable (60% favorable) than that of the president (36% favorable).
- Support for the Iran conflict remains modest, with 36% of respondents backing military action, though it is rising slightly. Approval Rating Decline
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, released on April 21 2026, records President Donald Trump’s job approval at 36 percent, the lowest figure of his presidency since returning to the White House. This marks a continuing downward trend; the rating has slipped four points from an earlier March survey and remains only marginally above the 40 percent threshold that has defined most of his second‑term polling. The same survey shows that 35 percent of Americans now express support for a potential escalation of the Iran war, a slight increase from previous measurements, underscoring how foreign‑policy concerns intersect with domestic dissatisfaction.
Economic Pressures Fuel Discontent
Rising food and gasoline prices dominate respondents’ explanations for their disapproval, with many citing personal financial strain as the primary catalyst for waning support. Inflationary pressures have amplified frustration across demographic groups, eroding the president’s perceived economic competence and contributing to the broader erosion of his approval numbers.
Temperament Assessment Becomes Central
Beyond economic grievances, the poll probed public perceptions of the president’s temperament. A striking 71 percent of the 4,557 respondents indicated that Trump is “not even‑tempered,” while merely 26 percent characterized him as even‑tempered. This assessment varies sharply by party affiliation: roughly half of Republican respondents (53 percent) see him as even‑tempered, whereas only 7 percent of Democrats share that view, and 18 percent of independents agree. The data reveal a pronounced partisan perception gap that frames the president’s conduct as a divisive focal point in the national discourse.
Partisan Divide Over Temperament and Leadership
The split deepens when examining party specific attitudes. Among GOP supporters, a modest majority (53 percent) still considers Trump temperamentally stable, while 46 percent dissent. In stark contrast, 92 percent of Democrats label him as uneven‑tempered, reflecting an overwhelming partisan consensus that his demeanor undermines his leadership credibility. Independents also lean heavily toward the negative view, with 75 percent asserting that Trump lacks even‑tempered qualities, underscoring a broad consensus that cuts across party lines.
Comparative Favorability With Pope Leo XIV Public perception of Pope Leo XIV emerges as a striking comparative metric. Approximately 60 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the pontiff, whereas only 36 percent express a positive opinion of the president. This disparity illustrates a broader societal inclination toward the Pope’s leadership style, which eclipses even the approval rating of prominent Democratic rivals such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mental Sharpness Concerns Intensify
A separate question concerning cognitive acuity revealed that 51 percent of respondents believe Trump’s mental sharpness has declined, 40 percent claim it has remained unchanged, and only 6 percent think it has improved. The perception of decline is heavily partisan: 85 percent of Democrats, 54 percent of independents, and 14 percent of Republicans perceive a deterioration in mental fitness. Conversely, only 2 percent of Democrats and 4 percent of independents believe his mental acuity has actually improved, while 86 percent of Republicans assert that his mental state remains unchanged. These attitudes suggest deepening doubts within liberal and centrist constituencies about the president’s cognitive capacity for office.
Erosion of Confidence in Decision‑Making
The poll also explored confidence in the president’s decision‑making abilities. Nearly three‑quarters of independents and a majority of Democrats expressed skepticism that the president makes sound decisions, reinforcing a narrative that leadership competence is under significant scrutiny. This skepticism is further compounded by the observed partisan split on whether the president exhibits even‑tempered behavior, painting a picture of a leadership style perceived as volatile and unpredictable by the majority of the electorate.
Margin of Error and Temporal Context
The survey was conducted between April 15 and April 20, 2026, sampling 4,557 U.S. adults. The margin of error stands at plus or minus 2 percentage points, providing a modest degree of statistical confidence while acknowledging inherent limitations in poll coverage. The timing of the poll—coincident with escalating tensions surrounding a potential Iran conflict—suggests that foreign policy anxieties are amplifying domestic political discontent, a dynamic that may continue to shape public perception in the coming months.
Overall Outlook
Taken together, the data portray a president whose approval rating is mired near historic lows, whose temperament and mental acuity are viewed skeptically by a majority of Americans, and whose standing is eclipsed by a religious figure who enjoys significantly higher favorability. The confluence of economic strain, partisan polarization, and foreign‑policy uncertainty creates a volatile environment for the administration, indicating that forthcoming political developments will likely exacerbate or mitigate these challenges based on how they address the underlying concerns highlighted by the poll.