Breaking: Trump Officially has Lowest Approval Rating in History as Hegseth Spirals over Iran

Summary

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The Parnas Perspective

Host: Aaron Parnas
Episode Title: Breaking: Trump Officially has Lowest Approval Rating in History as Hegseth Spirals over Iran
Date: March 31, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Parnas Perspective breaks down two major political developments:

1. Donald Trump officially holding the lowest presidential approval rating at this point in his term in US history.
2. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s controversial and escalating statements regarding the ongoing war in Iran.

Aaron Parnas (and a guest political analyst) unpack the data behind Trump’s polling collapse and play key audio from Hegseth’s press conference, offering pointed commentary on the administration’s public rhetoric, handling of the Iran conflict, and implications for American leadership and global security.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Record-Setting Unpopularity

• Breaking News: Donald Trump, in his second presidency, now holds the lowest net approval rating for any American president at this stage of a term.

  • Political Commentator:

    “Donald Trump stands alone as the least popular president in American history. Lower than George Bush. Lower than Richard Nixon.” (00:33)

  • His approval rating has dropped to minus 17 points, marking an abrupt fall from the brief positive numbers at the start of his second term.
    • Political Analyst:

      “Trump actually started off in positive territory here in his second term, but now he's at the lowest point of his second term.” (01:45)

• Historical Context:

  • Compared across history at this same juncture in a presidency, Trump is lower than Biden, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Nixon, Obama—every modern president.
    • Political Analyst:

      “I went back and I looked at all of the presidents at this point in a presidency. All of them. […] Donald Trump is the lowest ever.” (01:45)

• Why So Unpopular?:

  • The key catalyst: the protracted and escalating war in Iran, which has fueled public discontent.

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The Hegseth Iran Press Conference

War Rhetoric and Negotiation

• At his daily 8am presser, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave updates on US-Iran negotiations and strategy.

  • Reporter Question (03:38): probes about the status of talks and potential risks to Iranian civilians if vital infrastructure is targeted, quoting Trump’s threats to destroy “electricity generating plants and oil wells.”

• Hegseth’s Response:

  • He assures that negotiations with Iran are “very real” and “gaining strength,” but admits that military escalation continues alongside diplomacy.

    • Notable Quote:

      “I didn't mean it flippantly when I said, in the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs. Our job is to ensure that we compel Iran to realize that this […] regime […] is in a better place if they make that deal. […] The primary effort is a deal.” (04:14)

    • Political Host Commentary:

      “We're going to continue negotiating with bombs. That's from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.” (04:59)

Escalation, Bombing, and Military “Morale”

• Hegseth shares what he frames as a morale anecdote from the frontlines:

  • Notable Quote:

    “I met a junior airman as the sun was going down and a chill was setting on the tarmac, who, when asked what they needed, she simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face and said, more bombs, sir, and bigger bombs. We will happily oblige her.” (07:08)

  • Host’s Reaction:

    “In that clip, he's claiming that he spoke to a junior service member who said, more bombs, sir, we want more bombs. I don't know that that ever happened.” (07:45)

No End in Sight

• Hegseth addresses the timeline for military objectives: > “It could be any particular number, but we would never reveal precisely what it is because our goal is to finish those objectives and we're well on our way. And the chairman and I look at this every single day. It will be the president's determination and the president's determination alone when those objectives are complete and […] our interests are advanced.” (07:59)

• Host’s Closing Thought:
  > “It doesn’t look like the war is ending anytime soon. It looks as though it’s going to continue for as long as they want it to go on.” (08:38)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Uniquely Low Standing:

  • “Donald Trump stands alone as the least popular president in American history.” (00:33)

• On Approval Rating Data:

  • “Trump actually started off in positive territory here in his second term, but now he's at the lowest point of his second term.” (01:45)
  • “All of them at this point in a presidency. […] Donald Trump is the lowest ever.” (01:45)

• On War Tactics:

  • Hegseth: “In the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs.” (04:14)

• On Escalation:

  • Hegseth: “‘More bombs, sir, and bigger bombs.’ We will happily oblige her.” (07:08)

• On Future Outlook:

  • “It doesn't look like the war is ending anytime soon. It looks as though it's going to continue for as long as they want it to go on.” (08:38)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:33] Breaking news: Trump’s historic unpopularity
• [01:45] Contextualizing Trump’s polling collapse vs. other presidents
• [03:05] Direct attribution to war in Iran for approval drop
• [03:38] Hegseth at Iran press briefing: negotiations and Trump’s threats in question
• [04:14] “We’ll negotiate with bombs” – Hegseth justification
• [07:08] Military morale anecdote (“more bombs, bigger bombs”)
• [07:59] No concrete timeline for end of Iran campaign
• [08:38] Host analysis: No off-ramp in sight

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Tone and Style

Aaron Parnas maintains a direct, urgent, and analytical tone—emphasizing data, context, and administration accountability. The language is clear, occasionally wry, and leans on historical comparison and legal-political insight.

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Summary

In this episode, Aaron Parnas and guests break down the Trump administration’s sharp fall in public standing—attributed primarily to the handling of an unending and escalating war in Iran, and punctuated by a controversial press conference in which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doubles down on a hawkish, “negotiate with bombs” approach.

Listeners are left with a sense of a presidency and Pentagon leadership both isolated and unyielding, with little clarity about the path forward—either on polling improvement or in finding peace abroad.

Transcript

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[Political Commentator]

We have breaking news right now. Donald Trump is officially the least popular president in American history. The lowest approval rating of any American president at this point in their term belongs to none other than President Donald Trump. Lower than George Bush. Lower than Richard Nixon. Donald Trump stands alone as the least popular president in American history. And it comes as Pete Hexseth, his Secretary of Defense, is under fire following comments made at a press conference this morning regarding the war in Iran. Comments that suggest this war is only going to continue escalating, not de escalating. More bombs sent overseas, more troops to the Middle east, and an off ramp that at this point does not seem to have any existence. A significant development right now, as always. Like comment, share and subscribe, the more you like, the more people see. Subscribe to my substack. Click the link below to support my work. As other platforms censor me, I know I won't have that censorship here. I want to begin by talking about the historic news that we're getting today is that Trump is officially the least popular president at this point in his term in American history.

[Political Analyst]

Take a look here. Take a look at Donald Trump's overall net approval rating. This is the lowest of his term. The lowest of his second term. We're talking about minus 17 points, 17 points underwater. And unlike in Donald Trump's first term, in which he was negative basically throughout his entire term, Trump actually started off in positive territory here in his second term, but now he's at the lowest point of his second term. But there's an even bigger comparison to be made. Okay, so obviously Trump was elected once back in 2016, then he took a four year break. And then of course, he's serving his second term and it's his second presidency. So I went back and I looked at all of the presidents at this point in a presidency. All of them. All of them at this point in a presidency. And guess what? Donald Trump is the lowest ever. The lowest ever at this point in a presidency. Lower than Joe Biden, lower than Jimmy Carter, lower than Ronald Reagan. He's lower than all of them. All of them at this point in a presidency. You know, you can make any sort of swimming comparison you want. Maybe you want to make a comparison with a diver like Greg Louganis. Maybe you want to make a swimming comparison. Michael Phelps. Maybe if you're me, like an old Jewish soul, you want to make a comparison with Mark Spitz. Either way, he is very much, he

[Political Commentator]

is very much the lowest in American history. Lower than George Bush, lower than Richard Nixon, lower than Barack Obama, lower than Joe Biden. Donald Trump stands alone as a president who is seriously having major issues with the American electorate. And it comes primarily because of the war in Iran. And today, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held his daily 8am press conferences where he made comments that, well, should concern some folks. Take a listen.

[Press Conference Reporter]

The US And Iran appear right now publicly to disagree about whether there are these negotiations ongoing. What impact does that have on military strategy? Does it have any bearing at all? And General, the president wrote yesterday that the US Might destroy Iran's electricity generating plants and oil wells. Those are his words before ending this operation. Is there a way to do either of those things without, like, seriously jeopardizing or seriously harming civilians?

[Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth]

So on the talks, I can tell you, having been with, with Steve and Jared and the vice president and many Marco and many others yesterday, they are very real, they are ongoing, they're active, and, I think, gaining strength. And we appreciate that. As I said in my remarks, we would much prefer to get a deal if Iran was willing to relinquish material they have and ambitions they have. Open this great. That's the goal. We don't want to have to do more militarily than we have to. But I didn't mean it flippantly when I said, in the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs. Our job is to ensure that we compel Iran to realize that this new regime, this regime in charge, is in a better place if they make that deal. And so we'll continue. We're working hand in hand, but the primary effort is a deal.

[Political Commentator]

We're going to continue negotiating with bombs. That's from Secretary of Defense Pete Hecseth. Now, I do want to take a pause here for a minute and get you an update from a new brand I've been using and I'm partnering with on this video called Surfshark. So take a listen right now. Okay, folks, so I have an exciting partnership for you today, and it's because a lot of you have actually asked. I started using a VPN recently, specifically the surfshark vpn. Now, what's a VPN I didn't know what it was at first, so let me walk you through it. Essentially, it keeps my online identity safe by encrypting all of the information sent between my device and the Internet. Keeps my data safe from big companies and cyber criminals. Now, listen, as a public figure, lots of folks in recent months have tried to hack me. Not only does Circsharf secure my online data, but it also allows me to change my virtual location to ensure that I'm always protected. And it's honestly super easy to use. I was a skeptic at first because I'm not super technologically advanced myself, even though this is my job for a living. But I started using Surfshark and it lets me stay safe on public WI fi, receive files securely, and ensure that you protect your data at a time when everyone wants access to it. So you can start today, too. It's simple. Go to surfshark.com a Parnas that is just a P A, R N A S. Or use the code A parnas at checkout at the link below in the caption to get four extra months of Surfshark vpn. It's simple, it's easy. Go check it out and let me know what you think. Surfshark is great. I highly recommend you checking them out. I use them. You should use them, too. Link below. Let's continue listening to what Hexseth had to say.

[Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth]

We want that deal to be accomplished, if at all possible. If not, then we're prepared to Continue. Go ahead, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, thanks for the question.

[Political Commentator]

We're always thinking about those considerations and

[Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth]

develop options to be able to mitigate those risks pursuant to the normal practices that we do.

[Political Commentator]

Take a listen to what else Seth had to say today.

[Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth]

The same with his boss. A colonel with a heart the size of Texas and a beautiful deployment mustache to match. I witnessed lethality. I met a junior airman as the sun was going down and a chill was setting on the tarmac, who, when asked what they needed, she simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face and said, more bombs, sir, and bigger bombs. We will happily oblige her.

[Political Commentator]

Well, he. In that clip, he's claiming that he spoke to a junior service member who said, more bombs, sir, we want more bombs. I don't know that that ever happened. Here's the last clip that I want you to listen to from Hexa today.

[Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth]

And things were military objectives that we're moving toward and things that we look at and has these articulated. You know, he said four to six weeks six to eight weeks. Three. It could be any particular number, but we would never reveal precisely what it is because our goal is to finish those objectives and we're well on our way. And the chairman and I look at this every single day. It will be the president's determination and the president's determination alone when those objectives are complete and when it serves the interest of the American people to cut that deal to make sure that Iran doesn't have a nuclear capability and ultimately that our objectives are our interests are advanced. I don't know if you want to

[Political Commentator]

end, so it doesn't look like the war is ending anytime soon. It looks as though it's going to continue for as long as they want it to go on. As always, like comment, share and Subscribe I have to get back to my daughter. I'll see you soon for more. Hey folks, thanks so much for watching. Feel free to add this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you watch for the latest breaking news and daily hits throughout the day. Make sure to follow. Subscribe. See you soon for more Craving the

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