By STEVE PEOPLES and LINLEY SANDERS, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — More U.S. adults support President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict in Israel after he brokered a ceasefire deal in Gaza, a new AP-NORC poll finds — but his approval ratings on domestic issues remain weak.

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The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals that Trump’s apparent success on the world stage has not yet improved his overall standing at home. In interviews, even some of his voters said he needs to do more to address issues such as the economy, health care and immigration.

“It’s kind of cool he’s bringing peace, but I’m like, ‘You kind of need to worry about your American people instead of bringing peace to the world first,’” said Justin Sanders, a 31-year-old Republican from Birmingham, Alabama, who voted twice for Trump.

“We need the inflation to go down,” added Sanders, who works as a driver for DoorDash. “I’m tired of sitting here struggling going day by day trying to figure out if I’m going to eat or not.”

The poll was conducted Oct. 9-13, before the hostages and prisoners were freed in Israel, but after the ceasefire deal was announced. The tenuous ceasefire in Gaza has held this week even as major questions remain about the U.S. plan for the region and whether the peace can be sustained.

At the same time, Trump faces major hurdles at home with a U.S. government shutdown now in its third week, prices remaining too high for many Americans and millions more impacted by health care cuts and hospital closures.

In the new poll, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president overall, unchanged from September.

Trump’s approval on Israeli-Palestinian conflict rises

About half of U.S. adults, 47%, approve of how Trump is handling the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. That’s an increase from 37% in September, and it’s driven primarily by Democrats viewing Trump more positively on this issue.

Jack Bornstein, of Alpharetta, Georgia, a 61-year-old independent who typically votes for Democrats, said he was pleased the Israeli hostages were released as part of the deal Trump helped negotiate.

“I give him credit for that. That’s probably the only thing I can say is positive for him,” Bornstein said, pointing to concerns about rising grocery prices, health care and Trump’s character.

President Donald Trump and other leaders gather for a family photo during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

However, separate AP-NORC polling from July indicates that Americans are much more likely to say domestic issues — such as the economy, health care, taxes, government spending and immigration — are “extremely” or “very” important to them as compared with the situation in the Middle East.

In the July poll, only about 4 in 10 said the Middle East was at least “very” important to them personally, compared with about 9 in 10 who said that about the economy.

Most disapprove of Trump’s handling of economy, immigration, health care

On domestic issues, Americans don’t believe that Trump is doing particularly well — even on immigration, a signature issue for the Republican president.

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of the way Trump is handling immigration, which is in line with his September measure, but down slightly from the beginning of his second term.

On the economy, the chief concern for many, only about one-third of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s performance. The figure has stayed steady throughout his second term.

One of Trump’s weakest issues is health care, a topic that’s taken center stage during the ongoing government shutdown.

About 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of Trump’s leadership on health care, in line with September. Almost all Democrats disapprove of his work on health care, but so do about 8 in 10 independents and about one-third of Republicans.

Alison Weaver, a 62-year-old independent from Roanoke, Virginia, said Trump’s second term has been “a debacle.”

She criticized his “gestapo tactics” on immigration and laughed out loud when asked about his performance on health care.

“It’s horrifying,” Weaver said.

Most say the country is going in the wrong direction

Trump’s domestic challenges come on the eve of a new election season in which voters in New Jersey and Virginia will elect new governors next month, while several other states will host municipal elections.

Trump’s weak numbers could create problems for Republican candidates who have been wary of distancing themselves from the GOP president. The new poll might also raise concerns for incumbents in either party, since about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say things in this country are heading in the wrong direction.

That’s down slightly from September, shortly after conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, when about three-quarters of Americans said the country was going in the wrong direction. Republicans are less likely to say the country is headed in the wrong direction than they were last month, returning closer to levels before Kirk’s assassination. Democrats and independents have not changed significantly.

Dean Grace, a 73-year-old Democrat from Duluth, Minnesota, said he has very few positive things to say about Trump.

“I will give him some credit for the ceasefire, although claiming peace in the Middle East is a stretch,” he said. “My issues are that, as a Christian, I find nothing to agree with my president about morally.”

The AP-NORC poll of 1,289 adults was conducted Oct. 9-13, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Peoples reported from New York.

Eagles at Vikings (+1½)
Because of the lingering high ankle sprain of J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz is expected to face his old team that he helped lead to the Super Bowl eight years ago. Vikings fans hoping to see the young McCarthy start have a greater chance on Sunday of seeing the Epstein files.
Pick: Eagles by 3

Philadelphia Eagles’ Carson Wentz prepares to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Panthers at Jets (+1½)
New York and Justin Fields hit a franchise low last Sunday in London by tallying minus-10 net yards passing during their loss to Denver. The only possible way they could have done worse in the air is if they flew home on Spirit Airlines.
Pick: Panthers by 7

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is tackled by the Broncos defense in the second half of an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Buccaneers at Lions (-5½)
Tampa Bay, at 5-1, is tied for the best record in the league, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is the early front-runner for the NFL Most Valuable Player award. Recent presidential runner-up Kamala Harris said she hasn’t seen a better candidate since Kamala Harris.
Pick: Lions by 7

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the first stop of her book tour for her new book about her presidential campaign, “107 Days,” at Town Hall in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Giants at Broncos (-7½)
Giants rookie Cam Skattebo made headlines by rushing for three touchdowns against Philadelphia, then ripping his shirt off during a postgame TV interview. He’s now the answer to a trivia question: What if Rob Gronkowski and the Hunchback of Notre Dame had a child.
Pick: Broncos by 1

Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants warms up prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 09, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Raiders at Chiefs (-12½)
Kansas City’s offense will get a needed boost with the return from suspension of Rashee Rice. The standout wide receiver is expected to hit the ground running at full speed, which for him is 119 miles per hour.
Pick: Chiefs by 8

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) reacts during warm ups before an NFL preseason football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Patriots at Titans (+7½)
New England is the surprising leader of the AFC East thanks to the red-hot start for Drake Maye. That’s startling because, as most Patriots fans can remind you, the 23-year-old quarterback isn’t quite old enough to date Bill Belichick.
Pick: Patriots by 17

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

Dolphins at Browns (-2½)
Miami has turned into a 1-5 dumpster fire, and the coaching hot seat could not get any more broiling for Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins’ coach would no doubt have already been summarily fired if he worked at, say, Penn State.
Pick: Dolphins by 3

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel during his game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 8, 2023 in Miami Gardens. (John McCall, South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Colts at Chargers (-1½)
Colts backup quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered serious facial injuries last week during a freak incident during his warmups at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis police eventually ruled it an accident after initially suspecting Mark Sanchez.
Pick: Chargers by 3

This undated image provided by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department shows former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez. (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department via AP)

Commanders at Cowboys (+1½)
Commanders star Jayden Daniels took responsibility Monday night after his late fumble helped hand the victory to Chicago. Despite the quarterback’s blunder, most Washington fans, out of habit, blamed Daniel Snyder.
Pick: Commanders by 3

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) fumbles the ball during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)

Packers at Cardinals (+6½)
Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs scored two TDs last week against Cincinnati despite being weakened by the flu. The star running back admitted to throwing up several times during the game, which is roughly par for dudes at Lambeau Field.
Pick: Packers by 7

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs near Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Other games

Rams vs. Jaguars (+2½)
Pick: Rams by 3

Saints at Bears (-5½)
Pick: Bears by 7

Texans at Seahawks (-3½)
Pick: Seahawks by 7

Falcons at 49ers (-1½)
Pick: 49ers by 3

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) in action during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Bye week

Ravens, Bills

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (98) sacks Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

Record

Week 6
10-5 straight up
9-6 vs. spread

Season
54-38-1 straight up (.587)
45-48 vs. spread (.484)

All-time (2003-25)
3873-2139-15 straight up (.644)
2955-2927-145 vs spread (.502)

You can hear Kevin Cusick on Thursdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on X– @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.

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Today is Friday, Oct. 17, the 290th day of 2025. There are 75 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 17,1933, Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany.

Also on this date:

In 1777, British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, New York, in a turning point of the Revolutionary War.

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In 1931, mobster Al Capone was convicted in Chicago of income tax evasion; he would be sentenced to 11 years in prison, fined $50,000 and ordered to pay back taxes. Capone was released in 1939.

In 1967, Puyi, the last emperor of China, died in Beijing at age 61.

In 1979, Mother Teresa of India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1989, a magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck northern California, killing 63 people and causing up to $10 billion worth of damage.

In 1989, Game 3 of the World Series was canceled as the Loma Prieta earthquake struck Northern California just 30 minutes before the game was scheduled to begin at Candlestick Park in San Francisco; the game would eventually be played 10 days later.

In 2024, Israel announced its forces in Gaza killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of 2023’s Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in which militants abducted 251 people and killed some 1,200 others, prompting Israel’s retaliatory war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in the small coastal strip.

Today’s Birthdays:

Singer Gary Puckett is 83.
Actor-musician Michael McKean is 78.
Astronaut Mae Jemison is 69.
Country singer Alan Jackson is 67.
Film director Rob Marshall is 65.
Animator-filmmaker Mike Judge is 63.
Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 57.
Actor Wood Harris is 56.
Musician Wyclef Jean is 56.
Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els is 56.
Singer Chris Kirkpatrick (’N Sync) is 54.
Rapper Eminem is 53.
Actor Matthew Macfadyen is 51.
Actor Felicity Jones is 42.
Singer-songwriter Nikki Lane is 42.

Cade Tyson scored 28 points and went on a huge second-half run as Minnesota blew away North Dakota State 80-54 Thursday night in NCAA Division I men’s exhibition basketball at Williams Arena.

The Bison suffered through a tale of two droughts. First, offensively when they went more than 12 minutes without a field goal. The second simply at the hands of Tyson, who scored 11 straight for the Gophers midway through the second half to give Minnesota a 20-point lead.

“They made shots,” Bison head coach Dave Richman said. “Maybe in a regular-season game, I call time out, but it’s an early learning opportunity. I want some guys to plow through it.”

Tyson, a 6-foot-7 senior transfer from North Carolina, can’t remember the last time he ran off 11 in a row. But it was definitely welcomed by the Gophers, who until then, let a cold-shooting Bison team stick around after Damari Wheeler-Thomas scored the second of his two consecutive buckets off a fading drive off the glass to pull NDSU within 49-40 with 12:30 remaining.

Then the show began.

Tyson knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to bring the Williams Arena crowd to life, then he somewhat snaked in to tip-in a Gopher miss to make it 57-40.

“I felt good,” Tyson said. “I felt like I had it going and felt like my teammates put me in the right spots and gave me the ball where I succeed the best.”

When Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds stripped NDSU’s Trevian Carson, it set up another quick transition and a Tyson deep ball to extend the lead to 20.

“Every time we put up a 3-ball, I’m like ‘Man, that’s money,’” said Gopher sophomore Isaac Asuma, who is one of two returning players. “I’ve seen him rep it in practice, but I’m just proud of how we competed as a team.”

Niko Medved coached his first game — albeit this being an exhibition — for the maroon and gold after coaching seven seasons at Colorado State.

“I felt good to be back out there,” said Medved, whose team took advantage of the NCAA’s new policy to play two exhibition games. The Gophers host North Dakota in another such contest on Saturday, Oct. 25.

“You could tell there were some nerves early, I thought our guys handled it really, really well and finally started getting some stops and getting out in transition a little bit,” Medved added.

The Bison got off to a solid start, something Richman said the team can bank away. But NDSU made just 8 of 25 field goals in the first half and were 2 of 12 beyond the arc, finishing 5 of 24 for the game from 3-point territory.

Junior guard Emil Skytta’s bucket with 12:12 remaining was the last Bison field goal of the half. They wouldn’t see another field goal until Carson’s jumper 29 seconds into the second half.

“I think it was just us,” said Carson, who had a team-high 14 points for NDSU. “We kind of fell apart. I mean, we are young, but that’s really no excuse. We just got to polish some things up but we’re going to be back for sure.”

Markhi Strickland added nine points and tied for the NDSU team lead with five rebounds with Treyson Anderson.

Minnesota’s Jaylen Crocker-Johnson had 11 points and Robert Vaihola had 14 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Gophers outrebounded the Bison 46-31.

Richman said they weren’t defending well enough — the Bison were called for nine of the game’s 20 first-half fouls — and that took the team out of rhythm as he also tried to find various personnel combinations on the floor.

“We played with our hands too much and we talk about playing defense with our chin and our chest,” said Richman, who begins his 13th year with NDSU. “We didn’t do a good job with that and we got some key players in foul trouble in the first half and that can’t happen.”

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