Trump Rural Approval Drops To Lowest Level Of Term As Gas And Grocery Costs Surge, Raising Warning Signs – Benzinga
President Donald Trump's approval among rural Americans has fallen to its lowest level of his current term as rising fuel and food costs weigh on a key voting bloc that has long backed him.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted June 3-8 found Trump's approval rating among rural Americans dropped to 50%, down from 60% in February 2025. Rural disapproval rose to 48% from 34% over the same period.
The decline comes as many rural voters express frustration over higher living costs, particularly gasoline and groceries.
Brian Rauch, a 42-year-old Air Force veteran from Montana who voted for Trump in the past three presidential elections, said rising expenses have affected his daily life.
"We're in bigger water fights with AI, we're all paying more for groceries and we're all paying more for gas," Rauch said.
He added, "My day to day is negatively impacted and I haven't seen these other benefits."
The poll also found only 31% of rural respondents approve of Trump's handling of the economy and cost-of-living issues, while 61% disapprove. In February 2025, about 45% approved and 43% disapproved.
Bryan Shaver, a Mississippi insurance agent and longtime Republican voter, said persistently high food prices could create political challenges for the GOP ahead of the midterm elections.
"I have a feeling we're going to be in big trouble in November," Shaver said.
Earlier, a Public Citizen report found that nearly 450 U.S. hospitals were at risk of closing or cutting services due to more than $900 billion in Medicaid and CHIP reductions under President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with rural hospitals among the most vulnerable.
The groups warned that the combined challenges threatened the agricultural sector and the nation's food supply.
On Sunday, Trump said that a deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran had been completed and indicated that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen after being effectively shut during months of conflict.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Trump's proposed tax and spending bill could slash $785 billion from Medicaid, threatening rural hospitals and potentially leaving 11 million more Americans uninsured.
Separately, farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, urged Trump to provide federal aid as rising fuel and fertilizer costs tied to Middle East tensions and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz added to pressures from inflation, trade uncertainty and weak crop prices.
Trump signs a new executive order deregulating the mortgage market, promising homebuyers $5,000 in savings and 5-year low interest rates.
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