Washington DC [US], September 26 : US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 37 per cent, the lowest of any president heading into midterm elections in Wall Street Journal polls dating to 1990, even as Trump has been predicting success for Republicans in the November midterm elections, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The development comes amid broader pressures facing the Trump administration, including the ongoing conflict with Iran and economic concerns linked to rising oil prices and inflation.
Politico reported that the US President will soon hit the campaign trail in deep red states as he pushes for candidates of his choice. Citing two people with knowledge of the matter, who were granted anonymity to discuss not-yet-public plans, Politico reported that Trump will campaign in Iowa, Florida, Texas and Alaska ahead of Election Day and make a scheduled stop in Oklahoma next week.
Meanhwhile, according to ABC News, the US Supreme Court gave the Trump administration the go ahead to use a federal citizenship database to verify voters ahead of the midterm elections.
ABC News reported that in a 6-3 opinion, the Supreme Court lifted a lower court order that blocked the Department of Homeland Security from expanding a 40-year-old immigration database, to help states screen voter records for noncitizens. Trump has characterized noncitizen voting as a pressing threat to free and fair elections.
Earlier, Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump had rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire. According to the report, which quoted US officials, the US President has told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterms. This follows his open threat of annihilating Iran made during his speech to the UN General Assembly earlier this week.
“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? But I believe we'll make a deal right after the election, because it doesn't make sense for them not to,” he told the Assembly on September 22.
On Thursday, Iran's foreign Minister Syed Abbas Aragchi had said that Iran has offered a seven-day plan to end the conflict in West Asia. The plan would also seek to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and then begin comprehensive talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
The United States midterm elections will take place on November 3.