According to the latest national NBC News poll, President Joe Biden’s approval rating has reached its lowest point in his presidency, standing at 40%. The majority of voters across the board disapprove of his handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war. Notably, Biden is behind former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical general-election matchup, though the margin is within the poll’s error range for an election over 11 months away.
The decline in approval is particularly evident among Democrats, with a majority expressing dissatisfaction with Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Additionally, among voters aged 18 to 34, 70% disapprove of Biden’s management of the war.
Various reasons were cited for disapproval, such as concerns about support for Israel, unfulfilled promises, issues with student loans, and discontent with Biden’s general foreign policy approach. Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt emphasized that Biden has the potential to win back disaffected Democrats and younger voters, as they have a history of supporting him and the Democratic Party.
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Republican pollster Bill McInturff highlighted the unprecedented impact of the Israel-Hamas war on Biden’s standing, describing the poll as a “stunner.” However, Horwitt noted that there is still ample time for political dynamics to change before the 2024 Election Day, with potential influences ranging from outcomes in Trump’s trials to unforeseen events domestically and abroad. According to the poll, 40% of registered voters approve of Biden’s job performance, while 57% disapprove, marking his all-time low in approval and high in disapproval since taking office. This reflects a slight change from September, when his approval rating was at 41%, tied with his previous low in the poll. Notably, there has been a notable decline in approval among voters aged 18 to 34, dropping from 46% in September to 31% in the latest survey.
Sixty-two percent now disapprove of Biden’s handling of foreign policy
In another setback for the president, only 33% of all voters approve of Biden’s handling of foreign policy, marking an 8-point decline since September. Contrastingly, 62% of voters, including 30% of Democrats, express disapproval of his foreign policy approach.
Specifically concerning the Israel-Hamas war, just 34% of all voters approve of Biden’s handling, while 56% disapprove. Within the Democratic party, only 51% approve, while majorities of independents (59%) and Republicans (69%) express disapproval.
Regarding the economy, fewer than 4 in 10 voters (38%) approve of the president’s handling, showing a marginal 1-point increase from September.
Democrats are divided over the Israel-Hamas war
The NBC News poll, conducted from Nov. 10-14, follows the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war, resulting in over 1,000 Israeli and thousands of Palestinian casualties, according to Gaza health officials.
Among American voters, 47% believe that Israel is defending its interests in the war, justifying its military actions in Gaza. In contrast, 30% think Israel has gone too far and that its activities are not justified, while 21% lack sufficient information to form an opinion.
However, within the Democratic voter segment, 51% believe Israel has gone too far, while 27% deem Israel’s military actions justified.
Despite the overall majority (55%) supporting the United States providing military aid to Israel, nearly half of Democrats (49%) express opposition to such aid.
