Barack Obama's Foreign Policy Approval Sinks: Polls

Public disapproval of President Barack Obama's handling of foreign policy is at the highest level in his presidency, two polls released Monday found.

Only 33 percent of Americans approved of the president's foreign policy record in a poll released by Pew Research/USA Today, and only 40 percent in a poll by CNN/ORC. In both surveys, a record high of 57 percent disapproved.

HuffPost Pollster's average, which includes all publicly available polling, puts Obama's average approval on foreign policy at 37 percent.

The president's approval rating for his handling of the situation in Syria specifically was even lower -- just 29 percent according to the Pew/USA Today poll, and 31 percent according to CNN/ORC.

Syria isn't the only reason for Obama's declining overall foreign policy rating. That, along with his overall ratings, has been sliding since the beginning of his second term, and crossed over into negative territory for the first time in early April.

The growing disapproval is a marked shift on what had formerly been a strong issue for the president. His approval rating on the economy, traditionally a weak point, is now slightly higher than his rating on foreign policy.

"This may be a troubling sign for a president who in past polls had always scored his highest ratings for his handling of foreign affairs," wrote CNN polling director Keating Holland.

The Pew Research/USA Today poll surveyed 1,506 Americans between Sept. 4 and Sept. 8, while the CNN poll surveyed 1,022 Americans between Sept. 6 and Sept. 8. Both used live telephone interviews.