
Nine months into his second term, Donald Trump faces approval numbers that even his allies find alarming.
A new YouGov poll shows just 41% of Americans approve of his job performance, while 52% disapprove — his lowest rating since returning to the White House. Even among Republicans, support has slipped to 82%, five points below his first-term peak. Independents are harsher: only 32% approve.
State breakdowns show trouble in traditional strongholds: Trump has fallen below 50% in Ohio, Iowa, and even Florida. Suburban voters, key to his 2024 comeback, are especially sour.
Still, Trump dismisses the polls. In interviews and rallies, he calls them “rigged” and mocks pollsters, insisting Americans see real progress in jobs, crime, and the border. His base remains fiercely loyal — Rasmussen found 89% of MAGA voters would vote for him again.
Analysts, however, warn that ratings below 45% historically spell trouble for a president’s party in midterms. Discontent is fueled by tariffs, rising prices, and Trump’s combative tone. Younger voters, women, and minorities are turning away, while his support remains strongest among older, white, non-college-educated men.
Democrats, though, are hardly soaring — Harris and Newsom both sit below 40% favorability. That leaves voters divided, frustrated, and without a clear alternative.
For Trump, low numbers are not the end but part of his narrative: a fighter defying elites, media, and even history. As he told reporters:
“The fake news says the numbers are down. I say America’s going up. We’re winning.”