Biden’s approval rating drops to 43%, the lowest of his presidency

US President Joe Biden’s public approval rating has fallen to the lowest level of his presidency this week. The results indicate that Americans appear exhausted by the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.

The national poll, conducted Jan. 19-20, found that 43% of American adults approve of Biden’s performance in the job, while 52% disapprove and the rest are unsure. The previous week’s poll had put Biden on a 45% approval rating and a 50% disapproval rating.

After holding above 50% in his first few months at the helm of the United States, Biden’s popularity began to decline in mid-August as Covid-19 deaths surged across the country and the US-backed Afghan government , collapsed.

Biden’s continued decline in popularity is sounding alarm bells in his party, with Democrats worried that dissatisfaction could cost them a majority in Congress in the Nov. If Republicans take control of the US House of Representatives or Senate, Biden’s agenda of proposals could be doomed.

In a rare press conference on Wednesday, Biden acknowledged Americans’ frustration at the end of his first year in office. However, he pledged to make progress in tackling challenges from the pandemic and inflation, which hit a nearly 40-year high in December as the health crisis ripped through global supply chains.

The weekly poll showed that the main issues that concern Americans are the economy and public health.

At the same time during Donald Trump’s presidency, about 37% of Americans approved of his performance in office, while 59% disapproved.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey is conducted online in English throughout the United States. The latest poll gathered responses from a total of 1,004 adults, including 453 Democrats and 365 Republicans. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.