Biden's job approval rating falls to 43%, lowest in presidency, Gallup

President Biden's job-approval rating has fallen six percentage points, to 43%, since August. The number is the lowest of his roughly eight-month presidency, and now for the first time, a majority, 53%, disapproves of his performance, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday. 

The poll was conducted from Sept. 1 to 17, after the U.S. military left Afghanistan in late August. The military's departure after 20 years in the country included the chaotic evacuation of 120,000 people that was overshadowed by a suicide bomber killing 13 U.S. service members. 

Over the same polling period, COVID-19 infection rates in the U.S. continued to increase, resulting in hospital overflows in some regions.

The latest drop in Biden's job approval score is the second significant decline since June. Biden's honeymoon ratings –near 55% – first faltered in July, falling to 50% amid increasing COVID-19 cases.

Except for Donald Trump, every U.S. president since Harry Truman has enjoyed a honeymoon period characterized by above-average approval ratings upon taking office. Biden's recent slides in approval put him with Trump and Bill Clinton, whose ratings were at or below Biden's now 43% at some point in the first eight months of their presidencies, Gallup also reports.