(C) KUTV

Washington, D.C. - U.S. President Donald Trump's job approval rating has dropped to its lowest point since the start of his second term, dipping into the 30s according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The decline is seen as a direct consequence of public dissatisfaction with his handling of cost of living issues and his administration's perceived transparency regarding the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The poll, conducted from November 14 to 17 among 1,017 U.S. adults, found Trump's approval rating at 38%, a two percentage point drop from the 40% recorded earlier this month. This figure represents a total nine percentage point decline from his early second-term approval high of 47% and marks the lowest approval rating of his current term.

Significantly, the 38% rating is closing in on his first term's lowest point of 33% and is comparable to the 35% low recorded by his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.

A major driver of the public's souring sentiment is the economy, particularly the persistent issue of rising prices. The survey results show high levels of concern among respondents regarding the cost of living.

Only 26% of respondents approved of Trump's management of the cost of living, down from 29% in the prior poll. In stark contrast, a vast majority, 65%, disapproved of his performance on this front. Even within his own base, approximately one-third of Republicans evaluated his policies in this area negatively.

Trump's signature economic policy of imposing tariffs to boost U.S. manufacturing has been criticized by many economists, who argue that these measures have contributed to the uptick in inflation.

Compounding the economic concerns is widespread public skepticism over the administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. A significant 70% of respondents believe that the Trump administration is concealing information related to Epstein's associates and clients.

This pervasive distrust crosses party lines: 87% of Democrats and a substantial 60% of Republicans hold this belief. In contrast, only 20% of those polled expressed support for the way President Trump has managed the Epstein investigation.

Reuters suggests that the President's declining popularity could leave the Republican Party vulnerable in the upcoming midterm elections, despite the party's recent messaging that it is taking a better approach to economic policy. The combination of sustained public concern over inflation and lingering questions surrounding the Epstein case presents a significant challenge for the administration moving forward.