Trump Claims 59% Approval Rating as He Ties Falling Prices to Cheaper Oil
Trump touts a 59% approval figure and credits lower oil and gas costs for easing consumer prices, in a post that runs against recent independent polling.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald Trump claimed a 59% approval rating and credited falling oil and gas costs for bringing down consumer prices in a post on Truth Social. Trump offered no source for the figure. Trump framed the claim as evidence that his economic agenda is working for American households.
The assertion runs against recent independent polling. A Reuters/Ipsos survey put Trump’s approval rating at 35%, with a disapproval rating of 63%, and found that 59% of voters expected gas prices to get worse (see benzinga.com). In that same poll, 22% of voters approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 70% disapproved (see benzinga.com).
Here is the full post on Truth Social: “59% Approval Rating. Prices coming down along with the lowering of oil and gas. Thank you! President DJT” on July 12, 2026 at 9:03 PM ET.
This is the first message released by Trump today. On average, Trump produces about 17 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The stakes center on how voters judge the administration’s economic record heading into the next election cycle. Lower fuel prices ease household budgets and can lift a sitting president’s standing, while stubborn cost-of-living pressures cut the other way. The gap between Trump’s claim and the independent numbers matters because approval ratings shape party fortunes in congressional races.
The cost of living has been the dominant economic worry for consumers across two administrations. The Reuters/Ipsos data showed Trump’s cost-of-living marks trailing the final readings for former President Joe Biden, who left office with a 29% approval and 63% disapproval on that measure (see benzinga.com). Voters in the survey said they would favor a Democratic congressional candidate over a Republican one by a 41% to 37% margin.
Gasoline prices weigh heavily on that judgment. When pump prices climb, spending shifts, with some households cutting back and others changing where they shop. For the average American reader, the claim touches the weekly gas bill and the grocery receipt, the two costs families feel most directly. Whether prices are truly easing determines how much breathing room those households have each month.
Has this happened before? This has happened before. Presidents routinely claim credit for falling energy costs and dispute polls that show weak approval, and Trump has done so repeatedly across both of his terms. The pattern of touting favorable numbers while independent surveys show lower figures is a recurring feature of his public messaging.
The next test of these claims will come from independent pollsters and government price data. No specific date for the next major approval survey or inflation reading has been announced.
Presidents have long lived and died by the price of fuel, as history shows. In 1979, gasoline shortages and long lines at pumps helped sink former President Jimmy Carter, whose approval fell below 30% amid an energy crisis tied to the Iranian revolution (see britannica.com). Ronald Reagan defeated him the following year in a 44-state landslide. Cheaper energy has rewarded incumbents, and costly energy has ended presidencies.
In the last 30 days, 27 of 512 Trump posts were on the topic “Economy.”
Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on July 12, 2026 at 9:08 PM ET
Source: Zenger analysis
Note: Table generated by https://zenger.news on July 12, 2026 at 9:08 PM ET