Trump’s nightmare begins as his approval rating plunges to a chilling new low, and soaring gas prices might have something to do with it

President Trump’s approval rating just plunged to a new low of 36 percent, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, as reported by The Hill. This significant drop comes as his administration continues military operations against Iran, and it seems that soaring gas prices are definitely playing a part in public sentiment. The survey, which also found 62 percent of respondents disapproving of the president’s performance, marks a chilling new benchmark for his approval.

Just a few days prior, a survey from the same polling center had President Trump at a 40 percent approval rating. Respondents in that earlier poll specifically highlighted concerns about rising energy rates as a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It’s clear that the economic impact of these international tensions is hitting close to home for many Americans.

These notably low numbers follow the president’s decision to launch joint strikes with Israel on Iran at the end of February. The situation has escalated since then, with Iranian counterstrikes on energy infrastructure and U.S. military bases in the Gulf states. This has effectively halted the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a massive global trading corridor.

The conflict in the Middle East has sent global energy prices through the roof

We’ve seen the direct impact right here in the U.S. The average cost of regular gas was up by more than a dollar from a month ago, hitting an eye-watering $3.977, according to AAA. That’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone filling up their tank, and it’s no wonder people are feeling the pinch and connecting it back to the administration.

President Trump’s approval rating has seen similar downturns in other polling data as well. An NBC News poll, which overlapped with the launch of the U.S. military operations in the Middle East, showed the president’s approval rating falling by 3 percentage points. Before these attacks on Iran, President Trump’s approval rating during his second term typically ranged between 33 percent and 43 percent in Reuters/Ipsos polling.

The Trump administration hasn’t been idle in the face of these rising costs for American consumers. They’ve undertaken several strategies to try and counteract the economic pressure. The president directed a boost in domestic oil production, freed up barrels from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and even temporarily lifted sanctions on some oil from Russia, Venezuela, and Iran. It’s a clear effort to stabilize prices, but it seems the public isn’t entirely convinced.

In the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, released Tuesday, only 29 percent of respondents said they approved of how President Trump was handling the economy. That’s a pretty significant drop from the 35 percent who supported his approach to fiscal problems in the survey released just last week. It really shows how quickly public opinion can shift when economic factors, like gas prices, start to bite.

This recent Reuters/Ipsos survey gathered responses from 1,272 U.S. adults. It was conducted from March 20 to March 23, and it carries a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.