Fox News Gives Trump Bad News

President Donald Trump is heading toward the 2026 midterm elections with his approval rating facing renewed pressure, according to a new Wall Street Journal poll.

The survey puts Trump’s job approval at 37 percent, a notably difficult position for a president with the midterms approaching. The figure comes as Republicans prepare for a closely watched election season in which control of Congress will be at stake.

The latest polling comes as voters continue to focus heavily on the economy, household costs and the consequences of the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Those issues could become increasingly important as voters decide how they view the administration heading into Election Day.

Economic concerns stand out in the Journal survey. Six in 10 respondents said they believe Trump’s economic policies have made the economy worse. By comparison, 25 percent said the policies had improved conditions, while 10 percent said they had not made much difference. Another 5 percent were uncertain or did not answer.

The economic debate is unfolding alongside rising energy costs. The conflict involving Iran has disrupted conditions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for oil shipments. Higher energy prices have added another issue for voters already dealing with the cost of everyday goods.

Gas prices have also moved sharply higher. AAA data cited in the report showed the national average for regular gasoline at roughly $4.48 per gallon, compared with about $3.13 a year earlier.

For Republicans, the timing presents an additional challenge. The midterms are only weeks away, and voters will be weighing not only Trump’s record but also the performance of Republican candidates running for Congress.

Political analyst Charlie Cook has also pointed to the possibility of significant Democratic gains. In a recent discussion, he said Democratic control of the House had increasingly appeared plausible and that a Senate takeover had become a more realistic possibility than it was a year earlier.

The Wall Street Journal survey was conducted Sept. 16-21 among 1,500 registered voters and carries a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

With Election Day approaching, the numbers offer another indication of the political environment facing Trump and congressional Republicans. But polls capture voter sentiment at a particular moment, and opinions can change considerably before ballots are cast.