A new opinion poll conducted by "Reuters/Ipsos" indicates that U.S. President Joe Biden's popularity has approached its lowest levels during his presidency this month, highlighting the challenges he faces in his bid for re-election next year. The three-day poll, which ended on Sunday, revealed that 40 percent of respondents approve of Biden's performance as president, marking a slight increase from 39 percent in November. The margin of error in the poll was about three percentage points.
Biden is widely expected to face former President Donald Trump in November 2024, who is the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Other recent polls suggest a potentially close race between the two.
The survey showed that Americans view the economy, crime, and immigration as the biggest issues facing the country, all of which Trump and other Republicans have criticized Biden for. Nineteen percent of respondents cited the economy as the top issue, while 11 percent pointed to immigration and 10 percent to crime.
Biden's overall approval rating has remained below 50 percent since August 2021, with this month's rating staying close to his lowest point of 36 percent in mid-2022. The Reuters/Ipsos poll collected responses online from 1,017 adults using a nationally representative sample.
