Trump's Approval Hits Record Low as Court Rulings Aid GOP Gerrymandering

US President Donald Trump’s net approval rating has fallen to a record low of -19.6, significantly lower than any predecessor since Harry Truman at this stage in their term. Despite strong stock market performance driven by the AI boom, public support for the ongoing Iran war has also dropped to record lows. However, Republicans are positioned to retain their House majority in the upcoming midterm elections due to two pivotal court decisions facilitating partisan gerrymandering. The US Supreme Court recently allowed southern states to eliminate Black majority districts, traditionally Democratic strongholds, while the Virginia Supreme Court rejected a Democratic-drawn map. Analysts estimate these rulings provide Republicans with a nearly four-point advantage in the House. Consequently, Democrats must win the national popular vote by at least four points to secure a majority, a challenging threshold despite currently leading generic ballot polls by 6.3 points. With insufficient time for Democratic retaliation before the November elections, the structural bias in district mapping significantly offsets Trump’s unpopularity, shaping the political landscape for the midterms.