Trump's Approval Slips to 34% in Economist/YouGov Poll — Lowest Since Return to White House

President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to a new low since he returned to the White House, according to an Economist/YouGov poll released Tuesday. Just 34% of respondents said they approve of his job performance while 62% disapproved.

Key Findings

The July 25-27 survey of 1,559 adults — with a margin of error of ±3.3 percentage points — also found that 63% of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Despite the unfavorable approval numbers, Democrats lead Republicans by only four points on a generic congressional ballot, suggesting limited immediate political upside for Democrats.

How This Compares

Several recent polls show similar or mixed results: a Pew Research Center poll released July 23 put Trump’s approval at 24%, a Washington Post/Ipsos survey found 37% approval, and both Emerson College and Fox News polls reported 39% approval. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday showed a modest three-point uptick for the president but still reported just 37% approval and 60% disapproval.

Major polling aggregates also place Trump in net-negative territory: RealClearPolitics (July 28) averages 40.7% approve and 57.7% disapprove; The New York Times (July 28) shows 38% approve and 59% disapprove; Silver Bulletin (July 28) lists 39.1% approve and 58.0% disapprove.

"The ultimate poll was November 5th 2024 when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in an emailed statement dismissing the survey. "The President has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world, and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect."

While single surveys vary, the recent string of polls underscores persistent public skepticism about the president's job performance. At the same time, party-level ballot preferences have moved only slightly, leaving control of Congress and voter behavior uncertain heading into upcoming elections.

This report is based on the Economist/YouGov poll (July 25-27, n=1,559) and other public polling releases. USA TODAY's Kinsey Crowley and Reuters contributed to earlier reporting.