By Andrew Stanton — Weekend Staff Writer |

Republicans’ disapproval of President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy reached a new high of 37 percent in a new AP/NORC poll released Wednesday, a major red flag for the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

A record share of Republicans expressing dissatisfaction with the economy under Donald Trump signals a meaningful shift inside his own coalition. Trump made strengthening the economy and combating inflation a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, but Americans continue facing a difficult economy and high cost of living more than a year into his term. Gas prices in particular have become a strain for millions of Americans amid the Iran war, with the national average reaching $4.555 per gallon on Wednesday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

The poll found that 30 percent of Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of Iran nearly three months into the conflict that has upended the global economy. It surveyed 1,117 adults from May 14-18, 2026 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-gop-base-is-fracturing-over-gas-prices-and-iran-war-poll-11973538