Hanson’s popularity surges as Trump’s approval ratings falter amid Iran war fallout
A Guardian opinion piece by Bruce Wolpe attributes Pauline Hanson’s rising poll numbers to global economic turmoil, contrasting her pre-election campaigning phase with the former US president’s post-peak standing.
Pauline Hanson’s popularity is rising in Australia, a trajectory that sharply contrasts with Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings in the United States. According to a recent opinion piece by Bruce Wolpe in The Guardian, Hanson’s surge is partly driven by the global economic instability induced by Trump’s Iran war. This crisis has created a domestic challenge that the Albanese government is currently struggling to resolve, leaving voters seeking alternatives.
Hanson recently addressed the National Press Club with a polarising message, arguing that Australia cannot be a multicultural country and citing immigration pressures as a social cancer. She proposed the termination of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and the transformation of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) into a paid streaming network. During the event, she engaged in hostile exchanges with journalists, including Guardian Australia’s Sarah Martin and an SBS journalist, whom she threatened with job losses should her party gain power.
The parallels between Hanson and Trump are evident in their use of populist rhetoric and inflammatory stunts to mobilise their bases. Both leaders exploit voter fury over issues such as immigration, multiculturalism, and the media. However, Wolpe notes that they are at different stages of the political cycle. Hanson is in a campaigning phase ahead of future state and federal elections, whereas Trump is in a post-peak period of his presidency, having peaked at approximately 50% approval on the days he took office in 2017 and 2025.
While Trump has recently lashed out at CNN and reporter Kaitlin Collins in the Oval Office, Hanson’s focus remains on securing seats in parliament. She has endorsed Trump’s tariff policies, despite the potential harm these measures inflict on Australian farmers and exporters. Previous attempts to inject similar political elements into Australian campaigns, such as Peter Dutton’s public service cuts and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s “Make Australia Great Again” slogan, were rejected by voters.
The article suggests that while Hanson may be on track to peak early, her true reckoning is still an election away. With the Australian federal election expected to be two years away, the current economic pressures may continue to drive voter frustration. However, Hanson’s governing abilities remain untested, and it remains to be seen whether Australians will continue to warm to her brand of politics if economic conditions do not improve.