President Donald Trump may be basking in America’s semi quincentennial festivities, but he is still feeling the heat from the public on his administration’s policies amid an ongoing war with Iran and rising gas prices.
As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, the Trump administration is unveiling a limited-time U.S. passport design featuring Trump’s portrait.
However, Trump remains underwater with voters in recent polling: His approval rating has plummeted to a record low 34%, with a 64% disapproval rating in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. Several other polls showed disapproval ratings in the 50-percentage range, as high as 57% disapproval among Americans and Michiganders surveyed in an April 28 Civiqs poll.
The recent polls highlight public sentiment as Americans continue to feel the impact of the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, with the cost of fueling up at the pump still surging as oil and gas prices are expected to keep rising.
According to the Real Clear Politics polling average, Trump’s job approval rating is just 40.9%. A majority, 56.5% in the polling average disapprove. His disapproval ratings have been among the lowest of his presidency in the past week.
His current rating in the average is nearly as low as it was on Jan. 20, 2021, when it fell to 58.8% disapproval.
Here’s what to know about Trump’s approval ratings after polls completed this week.
What will the new U.S. passport featuring Trump’s image look like?
A new limited-edition U.S. passport design bearing Trump’s portrait is set to be released in July to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, Fox News reported.
According to mockups shared by the U.S. State Department, the inside cover will feature President Trump and his signature with the Declaration of Independence. A different page will have a scene of the Founding Fathers signing the 1776 document. Both pages have a background of the American flag. The back cover will feature a rendering of the flag, with “250” centered within a 13-star circle.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the special passport designs to USA TODAY in an email on April 28.
“As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed U.S. Passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott told USA TODAY in a statement.
“These passports will feature customized artwork and enhanced imagery while maintaining the same security features that make the U.S. passport the most secure documents in the world,” Pigott continued.
How high are Michigan gas prices?
As Iran continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, blocking an estimated 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply from transiting the narrow body of water, fuel prices have continued to rise.
Michigan gas prices, which already had surged from a week ago, jumped again — in a single day — an average of 15 cents a gallon to a statewide average of $4.19 a gallon.
The new average in Michigan on Tuesday, April 28, followed several bits of news, including predictions from analysts that prices would increase this week, a DC think tank declaring “another oil crisis is here” and dashed hopes for a timely resolution to the Mideast conflict.
The increase, calculated by AAA, also came just a day after Michigan was identified as the state with the biggest weekly surge, and one analyst predicts prices could rise by up to 65 cents more in the next three days.
How did the Reuters/Ipsos poll rank Trump?
Reuters/Ipsos:
How did the Rasmussen Reports poll rank Trump?
Rasmussen Reports:
The Rasmussen Reports survey did not break down party affiliation of respondents or Trump’s approval ratings on policy issues.
How did the Harvard University/Harris poll rank Trump?
Harvard University/Harris:
How did the Civiqs poll rank Trump?
Civiqs:
Detroit Free Press and USA TODAY contributed.
Free Press writer Frank Witsil contributed to this report.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump approval ratings plummet as gas prices rise. See latest polls
Reporting by Jenna Prestininzi, USA TODAY NETWORK / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
