US president Donald Trump’s job approval rating has fallen to a second-term low of 37 per cent, largely driven by public reaction to his handling of the war with Iran, according to a new NBC News poll.The survey, released on Sunday, found that 63 per cent of US adults disapprove of his overall performance, including 50 per cent who said they strongly disapprove.On the war specifically, 33 per cent of respondents said they strongly or somewhat approve of Trump’s handling, while 67 per cent said they strongly or somewhat disapprove.The war continues to divide Americans along party lines, the poll showed, with 82 per cent of Democrats and independents expressing disapproval, while 74 per cent of Republicans said they approve.Opposition is particularly strong among younger adults. While 61 per cent of respondents overall said the US should not take further military action in Iran, that figure rose to 74 per cent among those under 30.This comes as Trump said US negotiators will travel to Pakistan on Monday to resume talks aimed at ending the war with Iran, while again warning of further escalation if no agreement is reached.Trump also confirmed that the United States forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday that attempted to bypass its naval blockade.
In a post on social media, Trump said the vessel was warned by a US Navy guided-missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman to stop but failed to comply.“Our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room,” Trump wrote.He said US Marines had taken custody of the cargo vessel, Touska, and were inspecting its contents.The seizure marks an escalation in tensions with Iran over maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz and comes as Washington prepares for a second round of talks with Tehran, with a fragile ceasefire set to expire in the coming days.Meanwhile, Iranian state media suggested that the talks are not on the table.
