US President Donald Trump's approval rating has plummeted to 34 percent, the lowest since his return to the White House, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday. The decline comes amid economic uncertainty and the US-Israel war on Iran.

The poll also revealed that only 22 percent of respondents approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, a top issue for American voters. The Iran war, which saw Tehran block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has sent global energy prices soaring and fueled inflation in the US.

Conducted April 24-27 among 1,014 US adults, the survey precedes the November midterm elections, where Trump's Republican Party faces an uphill battle to retain control of Congress amid the president's low approval ratings.

Despite growing criticism of the Iran war from some right-wing commentators and podcasters, Trump continues to enjoy near-unanimous support from Republicans in Congress. However, a Marquette Law School poll found that only 32 percent of voters approve of Trump's handling of the war, rising to 65 percent among Republicans—still indicating significant dissent within the party.

A separate AP-NORC poll reported similar findings: Trump's overall approval at 33 percent, support for the war at 32 percent, and approval of his economic management at 30 percent.

The US and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire on April 8, which Trump extended indefinitely, but tensions remain high. Duelling blockades in the Gulf—Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US naval siege on Iranian ports—continue to disrupt global energy supplies. The average US gasoline price has risen to $4.17 per gallon, up from under $3 before the war.

Trump has claimed the Iranian economy is collapsing and that time is on his side, writing on social media that Iran is in a 'State of Collapse' and wants the US to open the Hormuz Strait. It remains unclear how or why Iran would communicate such a message to Trump.

Source: www.aljazeera.com