Trump’s approval ratings plummet: what that means for the US midterms

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to a record low of 31 percent amid public dissatisfaction with rising living costs and the unpopular US-Israel conflict involving Iran, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
• The poll indicates a 12-point lead for Democrats over Republicans in voter preference for the upcoming midterm elections, with 47 percent favoring Democrats and 35 percent Republicans.
• Historically, sitting presidents tend to see a decline in approval ratings before midterms, often resulting in losses for their party in Congress; this trend suggests Republicans may lose seats given Trump's historically low approval.
• Experts predict Democrats could flip control of both the House and Senate, with NBC News identifying key battleground states and districts where Democrats have strong chances to gain seats.
• While low presidential approval usually correlates with midterm losses for the governing party, the final outcome will depend on voter turnout and party mobilization efforts ahead of the November 3 elections.