Most Americans doubt Trump is ‘even-tempered,’ new poll shows
FILE-President Donald Trump speaks from the Cross Hall of the White House on April 1, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)
Americans are weighing in on President Donald Trump’s temperament amid the ongoing Iran war and a spat with Pope Leo XIV, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The poll found that many Americans, including some members of the Republican Party, have some concerns about Trump’s disposition and mental sharpness after a spate of outbursts.
Approximately 26% of Americans said they consider Trump "even-tempered," while the GOP was split on this question, with 53% considering him to be so and 46% admitting that he is not, while others declined to answer the question. Meanwhile, only 7% of Democrats viewed Trump as even-tempered.
RELATED: Trump blasts Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social: "Weak on crime" and foreign policy
Separately, the poll noted that 51% of Americans, including 14% of Republicans, 54% of independents and 85% of Democrats, think Trump's mental sharpness has become "worse" over the past year.
Trump’s emotional state has been in the headlines after he posted a threat on social media to wipe out Iran's civilization while also maligning Pope Leo as weak on crime after the pontiff's criticism of the Iran war. Trump has also threatened to destroy all of Iran's bridges and power plants.
The poll noted that 60% of respondents said they had a favorable view of Pope Leo, compared with 36% who said the same of Trump.
What is Trump’s current approval rating?
Dig deeper:
The Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted over a six-day span, addressed President Donald Trump’s approval rating. Only 36% of Americans approve of President Donald Trump's job performance.
According to the poll, Trump had the highest approval rating of his current term, 47%, briefly after he was sworn into office on January 20, 2025.
RELATED: Trump reading Bible verse from Oval Office in marathon event
Since the U.S. and Israel began a war with Iran in February that’s fueled higher gas prices in the nation, about 36% of Americans approve of U.S. military strikes against Iran, compared with 35% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted April 10-12. The latest poll of 4,557 U.S. adults nationwide, conducted online.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 4,557 Americans nationwide, which was conducted online. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.