An AP-NORC poll in October 2025 shows rising approval for President Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict after the Gaza truce — but overall approval slips amid economic and domestic worries. Read the latest numbers and what they mean.
A new AP-NORC poll conducted between October 9–13 finds that a recent US-mediated truce in Gaza lifted American approval of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict to 47%, a 10-point jump from September — a rise driven largely by improved views among Democrats. Despite this uptick on foreign-policy handling, the president’s overall approval fell to 37% in October from 39% in September, underscoring that gains on international issues have not translated into broader political traction.
Pollsters link the divergence to persistent voter concerns about domestic issues: confidence in Trump’s stewardship of the economy, health care and immigration remains weak, with the economy approval dropping from 43% in August to 36% in October. At the same time, civic mobilization has been significant — organisers reported millions attending the recent “No Kings” protests against perceived authoritarian drift — and analysts say mass protests could still influence public sentiment and the political narrative going forward.
The poll also highlights that while international developments can temporarily reshape issue-by-issue ratings, long-term presidential standing depends on sustained performance on bread-and-butter concerns that voters prioritise. Campaign strategists and commentators will now watch whether the truce and subsequent events produce lasting shifts in swing groups or remain a short-lived bump. For readers tracking the US political landscape, the key takeaways are: (1) foreign-policy wins may lift discrete approval scores, (2) domestic economic perceptions still dominate overall popularity, and (3) large protests and civic actions can shape the political atmosphere but do not automatically reverse long-term trends. Continued polling and turnout patterns will tell whether October’s movement is temporary or consequential.
