Inflation, gun violence sinks Biden’s approval rating to record low: Report

US President Joe Biden‘s public approval rating fell to its lowest level recently, matching the record-low levels it had fallen to in May this year, driven by an uptick in gun violence and record levels of inflation.

According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll concluded Wednesday, the 79-year-old’s approval rating plummeted for the fourth straight week in a row and hit 36% this week, matching its May record.

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Even in Biden’s own party, support for the President declined by one percentage point in the latest poll and hit 73%, down considerably from 85% in August 2021.

Among Republicans, support for Biden fell considerably in the latest poll, slipping to 7% in the latest poll from 11% on June 15.

In general, the poll found that only 18% of the Americans surveyed believed that the US was headed in the right direction under Biden.

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What’s behind the consistent decline?

After coming into power in January last year, Biden enjoyed a few months of majoritarian support in the US, but things started going downhill for the 79-year-old from August last year.

Since August 2021, Biden’s approval rating has not risen above 50%, and has seen consistent declines of late, sparking fears that the Democrats could lose control of at least one chamber of the US Congress in the mid-term elections this November.

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Biden’s fall from grace has been precipitated by a number of reasons, not least being the state of the US economy, which is experiencing its highest levels of inflation in more than four decades.

Compounding Biden’s problems is burgeoning gun violence in the US, which has seen a sharp uptick of late, with several deadly mass shootings rocking the country.