A new poll from CNN and the research firm SSRS, conducted on July 16, 2026 and published July 29, finds that only 34% of Americans approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president. That matches the lowest rating he has ever received — the same level he hit after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The poll comes less than 100 days before the November 2026 midterm elections, when voters will choose members of Congress. Republicans currently hold a slim majority in Congress, and these numbers suggest that advantage is at risk.

The most striking number in the poll: 73% of Americans say Trump is not paying enough attention to the country's most important problems. CNN and SSRS call this a "record-high" for this question (CNN). Two-thirds of respondents say Trump puts himself above the needs of the country, and 73% say he is out of touch with the problems regular Americans face.

On the war in Iran, only 28% approve of how Trump is handling the conflict. Just 25% say the war has been worth the cost and the American lives lost. Opposition to the war is not limited to people who usually vote Democratic — it spans a wide portion of the public. The same poll also asked voters which party they would support in their local congressional race, a question pollsters call the "generic ballot." Voters favored Democrats by 8 points (CNN). Put simply, the public's frustration with the Iran war appears to be feeding into broader doubts about Trump's leadership.

The poll also shows growing frustration with the economy. Seventy-four percent of respondents say rising gas prices have caused them at least some hardship, up from 63% in March 2026. On the cost of everyday goods, 71% say Trump has not done enough to bring prices down, up from 58% a year earlier. The jump in gas-price hardship — 11 points in about four months — suggests energy costs are driving a wider feeling that the administration is losing ground on issues that hit people's wallets.

Immigration has long been one of Trump's strongest issues in polls, but the picture here is more complicated. Only 39% rate his performance positively. At the same time, 54% say he has gone too far in deporting large numbers of undocumented immigrants. Think of it as a squeeze: tough enforcement may be angering the opposition without winning over more of the voters who already support him.

The poll also raises questions about Trump's personal ability to serve. Fifty-seven percent say the 80-year-old president lacks the stamina and sharpness to serve effectively. Combined with the 73% who say he is out of touch with everyday problems, a majority of Americans are questioning both whether Trump is engaged and whether he is physically up to the job.

The full poll results are available on DocumentCloud at documentcloud.org/documents/28520039-cnn-july-poll-conducted-by-ssrs, and the SSRS Political & Election Polling page lists the survey under its July 16, 2026 field date (Guardian).

What makes this poll matter is that all of these problems are happening at the same time. A 34% approval rating, an 8-point Democratic lead, majority disapproval of the Iran war, worsening views on the economy, and doubts about Trump's fitness for office would each be a warning sign on their own. Together, they paint a picture of a White House under pressure on every side. Republicans now face the final stretch of the midterm campaign defending not just one weak spot but many at once — and when problems pile up like this, they tend to make each other worse rather than canceling out.