A Presidency Under Pressure: Trump’s Second-Term Slide
Multiple national polls from April to December 2026 show President Trump's approval ratings declining across key metrics, driven by economic anxiety and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Overall Approval Ratings
President Trump's overall job approval has consistently registered between 33% and 40% across major surveys conducted throughout 2026.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll (April 24-27) recorded 34% approval
- NPR/PBS News/Marist polls in June and December recorded 36% and 38% respectively
- CNN/SSRS polls from late 2025 through early 2026 recorded 35–39%
- The New York Times/Siena poll from late 2025 recorded 37%
- Civiqs rolling tracking data (Jan 2025 – June 2026) recorded 36% approval with 59% disapproval
- A Marquette Law School poll recorded 32% approval for handling of the war
- An AP-NORC poll reported 33% overall approval
The FiftyPlusOne.news aggregate recorded a net approval decline from +5 to -16 over the first year of the second term — a 21-point drop.
Economic Approval: A Steady Decline
Economic approval ratings have shown consistent decline across every major poll.
- NPR/PBS News/Marist: 33% (June), 36% (December)
- CNBC All-America Economic Survey: 39% approval
- CNN/SSRS: 31% in early 2026
- Reuters/Ipsos: 22% approval for handling the cost of living
- AP-NORC: 30% approval on the economy
The December NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found 36% approval for economic handling — the lowest recorded by Marist in six years, comparable to President Joe Biden's rating in February 2022.
Democrats now hold a slight advantage over Republicans on economic trust (37% to 33%), a stark reversal from the 16-point Republican advantage in 2022.
Top Economic Concerns (December Poll)
Concern Percentage Prices 45% Housing 18% Tariffs 15% Job security 10%Two-thirds of respondents expressed concern about tariffs' impact on their personal finances.
Key Economic Indicators
- Gas prices: $4.17–$4.52 per gallon, up from under $3.18 a year earlier
- 73% of Americans described the economy as poor (AP-NORC, April), up from 66% in February
- 60% said the economy is not performing well for them personally
- 35% reported their financial situation worsened in the past year, compared to 21% who reported improvement
- 70% reported monthly expenses matching or exceeding their income
- 25% of respondents (an estimated 64 million adults) reported consistently accruing debt monthly
- 54% expressed concern about their ability to pay for necessary healthcare in the next year
The Iran Conflict: Low Public Support
U.S. military action in Iran, initiated in late February 2026, has received notably low public support compared to previous major operations.
- 48% of Americans felt less safe due to the war (CNBC)
- 64% said the war is not worth the financial cost
- 64% said it is not worth the increase in gasoline prices
- 53% said it was worthwhile to disrupt Iran's nuclear weapons development
- Nearly two-thirds of voters believed entering the conflict was the wrong decision (New York Times/Siena)
- Fewer than one in four Americans said the war has been worth the costs
Republican support for the Iran strikes was approximately 70% — significantly lower than GOP backing for previous major actions, including Afghanistan (96%) and Iraq (around 90%).
Demographic Variations
Approval ratings varied significantly across groups.
By Age
- Adults 18–34: 21% approve, 72% disapprove (Civiqs)
- Gen Z: 25% approve (NPR/PBS News/Marist)
By Political Affiliation
- Republicans: 84% approve overall; 84% approve on economy (Marist)
- Independents: 28–30% approve overall; 64% disapprove (Civiqs, Marist)
- Democrats: 8% approve (Marist)
By Gender
- Women: 30% approve, 65% disapprove (Civiqs)
- Men: 42% approve, 52% disapprove (Civiqs)
By Race/Ethnicity
- White Americans without college degrees: one-third approve on economy (down from nearly half in April)
- Latinos: disapprove by roughly two-to-one margin
- Among white women without college degrees: 48% disapprove of economic performance
By Geography
Highest Net Approval Lowest Net Approval Swing State Changes Wyoming (+25) Hawaii (-61) Florida: -13 (down from +9) North Dakota (+15) Vermont (-56) Ohio: -14 (down from +8) South Dakota (+14) Maryland (-51) Pennsylvania: -172026 Midterm Election Context
Midterm elections are scheduled for November 2026, and the political landscape shows shifting sentiment.
- Americans indicated a preference for Democratic control of Congress by 4 points (CNBC)
- Negative views of the Democratic Party remained at 52% negative, 26% positive
- Republican Party image: 35% positive, 52% negative
- In GOP-held congressional districts, overall approval of Trump declined 11 points to 43%