President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest level of his second term, according to new polling data that highlights widespread public dissatisfaction with his handling of key issues and growing support for protest movements opposing his administration.
The latest Economist/YouGov survey, released Tuesday, found that only 39 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58 percent disapprove. The result leaves him with a net approval rating of minus 19 points, marking his weakest showing of the second term. “This is the lowest net approval Trump has received in any Economist/YouGov Poll in Trump’s second term, and lower than all but one poll in his first term,” YouGov Public Relations Lead Allen Houston said in an email to Newsweek.
The poll surveyed 1,623 adults from October 24 to October 27 and has a margin of error of 3.4 percent. Last week’s survey from the same polling outlet recorded an identical 39 percent approval rating and a 56 percent disapproval rating, showing a consistent downward trend with no rebound.
Other national polling organizations have reached similar conclusions. Gallup and Reuters/Ipsos polls place Trump’s approval ratings in the low 40s, while a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey showed a net approval of minus 17 points. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted between August 21 and August 25 found Trump’s approval at 37 percent and disapproval at 55 percent. His ratings slightly improved in September and October, reaching 38 and 40 percent, but still reflected deep discontent.
The Economist/YouGov results show that Trump is polling negatively on nearly every major issue. His net approval on immigration stands at minus 10 points, on abortion minus 17, on education minus 19, on jobs and the economy minus 22, and on climate change and the environment minus 22. Inflation and consumer prices represent the sharpest area of disapproval, at minus 31 points.
The same poll found that several of Trump’s recent executive decisions have been received particularly poorly by the public. His cancellation of trade talks with Canada carries a net approval of minus 31 points. His demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom is at minus 36 points. His decision to commute the sentence of George Santos and his demand to be compensated for past federal investigations into his actions both hold net approval ratings of minus 44 points.
According to Newsweek, the data “highlights increasing voter discontent amid ongoing economic uncertainty, the prolonged government shutdown and criticism over major administration policies like tariffs and immigration.”
Trump has dismissed the findings, writing on Truth Social that he has “the best Polling Numbers that I have ever received.” He claimed that “Radical Left Losers are taking fake ads, not showing REAL Polls, but rather saying that I’m Polling at low levels,” and added that such ads “should not be allowed to run.”
Despite his statements, multiple independent polls confirm a similar pattern of disapproval. The results come during a period marked by a prolonged shutdown, inflation concerns, and continued criticism of the administration’s policies.
Meanwhile, the public response to the nationwide “No Kings” protests reflects a stark contrast. The same survey found that 49 percent of Americans approve of the demonstrations, while 33 percent disapprove and 18 percent are unsure. Approximately 8 percent of Americans said they had participated in the protests. That level of participation is significant, as Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights found that nonviolent movements engaging at least 3.5 percent of a population “have never failed to bring about change.”
Reporting from Truthout described demonstrators across Wisconsin who “called out Trump’s abuses, and vowed to defend democracy and human rights.” The polling data suggests that anti-Trump movements are gaining legitimacy in the eyes of much of the public, even as his own approval erodes.
Political experts warn that Trump’s approval slump could have major implications for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro told Newsweek, “He, and Republican leaders in Congress, should be concerned about his continued low approval ratings, as they are indicative of what the party is up against in the 2026 midterm election.”
“It is a sign of dissatisfaction with Trump’s performance [in] office which can have repercussions in the midterm congressional elections, in which Republicans may lose control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate,” Shapiro said. “What is striking is that Trump’s approval rating has not gotten a boost from his success against Iran and gaining a ceasefire in Gaza. And it could sink further if there is any spike in prices or an economic downturn.”
That warning reflects a broader shift in the public mood. Even foreign policy outcomes that could have benefited Trump politically appear to have been overshadowed by voter frustration with his domestic record and high-profile personal controversies.
Not all voices in the Republican Party are expressing concern. Lara Trump posted on X, “The ‘experts’ have been underestimating @realDonaldTrump since 1985 – he knew then and he proved today why he is the ultimate deal maker. I believe he will leave office with the highest approval rating of any modern president…the first 9.5 months were just the beginning.”
Her comments highlight the divide within the party between loyalists who insist polling cannot capture Trump’s support and analysts who view the data as a sign of electoral danger. For strategists planning for 2026, the widening gap between the president’s narrative and measurable public opinion may complicate efforts to maintain Republican control of Congress.
For now, the polling data paints a consistent picture. Trump’s approval has reached a historic low, voters are rejecting his handling of the economy and key social issues, and protests against his administration are gaining traction. While the president continues to insist that his numbers have “never been better,” every major national survey shows that his support is eroding across nearly every demographic.
As Shapiro warned, “It could sink further if there is any spike in prices or an economic downturn.” For the president and his party, the challenge is not only to reverse those trends but also to convince an increasingly skeptical public that their leadership can restore stability ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
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