Trump's Approval Falls to Record Low as Midterms Loom A new Fox News Poll reveals President Trump's approval rating has slid to the lowest level of his current term, with broad economic concerns and a dismal image on key issues fueling a sharp decline. Voters under 45, non‑college‑educated respondents, non‑white and lower‑income groups are driving the drop, while independent voters show an especially low endorsement. Polls from other major firms echo similar patterns. Republicans now face a narrow majority in Congress and a potential backlash in this year's mid‑term elections. The latest Fox News Poll shows President Donald Trump's approval rating has slipped to a record low for his current term, falling to just 36 percent favorable among those surveyed. The decline comes less than three weeks before Election Day, at a time when American households are grappling with economic challenges-especially the cost of living, inflation and the impact of the war in Iran on energy prices. According to the poll, the slump is driven by several demographic wedges: under‑45 voters, people without a college degree, non‑white respondents and those earning less than $50,000 a year.Political experts analyse dire Republican situationRobert Y. Shapiro, a political science professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs, told Newsweek that the numbers "show how dire the situation is for Republicans." He added that whatever effort President Trump has been trying to muster in support of his party is clearly not resonating with the public. Midterm elections are traditionally a barometer of the political climate facing the incumbent president's party, and the president's party has historically lost seats during them. Republicans now hold a narrow majority in both houses of Congress, a situation that could become precarious as the election season progresses.The poll also highlighted Trump's standing on specific policy issues. His approval rating for inflation fell to a new low-22 percent-while 74 percent of respondents rated the economy negatively, and 53 percent expect it to worsen next year. Nearly 60 percent of Americans identified the cost of living as their top economic concern, and 55 percent felt inflation was out of control.Voters aim midterms at sending message TrumpNewly added to the narrative was the fact that seven in ten voters are saying they will vote this year's midterm to send a message to Trump. If the elections were held today, the poll's projected support for the Democratic candidate in the House would equal 54 percent, compared with 45 percent for the Republican.Professor Shapiro pointed out that Trump's focus on personal politics has backfired, and that the president should have addressed key economic pain points-tariffs, the Iran war's effect on energy prices and possibly a diplomatic breakthrough in Ukraine-to salvage his standing."His low approval rating is the big deal in this election and it may be too late to do anything about that without a late breakthrough in the Iran war or peace in Ukraine," he said. The poll, conducted between October 9 and 12 with 1,202 registered voters nationwide, has a margin of error of 2.5 percent.While the Fox News Poll puts Trump's approval at 36 percent, other surveys from The Economist/YouGov, Reuters/Ipsos and Pew Research Center show similar trends: approval ratings hovering in the low thirties and disapproval ratings approaching or exceeding two thirds of respondents. Regardless of the specific percentage or margin of error, the message is essentially the same-Trump's popularity is hitting a record low in the second half of his second term.Trust levels shift on key policy issuesIn addition to Trump's P‑score, the Fox News Poll also measured voter trust in party leadership on key issues. Republicans were the most trusted on border security, crime and immigration, while Democrats were preferred on healthcare, gas prices, artificial intelligence and foreign policy. The most trusting voters, according to the poll, were the recent Republican‑victory‑spectrum, a narrow majority resides in a fragile political climate that could change in a matter of weeks.For the Republican Party, the message is clear: Trump cannot rest on past electoral victories. He must act decisively or risk ceding the benefit of the Republican majority to the Democrats in the next election cycle.The potential shift in the political landscape raises significant questions about the upcoming midterm elections: the stability of congressional control, the ability of President Trump and Republican leaders to secure policy victories, and the urgency of addressing a wave of economic discontent that is wrapping its fingers around the electorate's conscience.