Quick Take: President Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to about 33%, the weakest of his presidency and near historic lows for a second term. Only Richard Nixon polled lower late in a second term (about 24%). Trump disputes unfavorable polls, cites a self-commissioned survey that showed roughly 50%, and has suggested other polls show him as high as 65%. High Democratic “strong disapprove” numbers may boost turnout and shape the midterm landscape.
Trump’s Approval Falls to About 33% — Only Nixon Polled Lower Late in a Second Term
Nathan Howard / REUTERS
President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have dropped to roughly 33%, the lowest of his presidency and approaching historic lows for any president seeking a second term.
Where The Polls Stand
Multiple national surveys in recent weeks place Trump’s approval at about one-third of Americans. Those readings are the weakest of his presidency and nearly match the lowest approvals recorded for a second-term president since modern national polling began in the 1940s. The lone historical outlier is Richard Nixon, who registered about 24% support just days before his resignation amid the Watergate scandal.
Context And Causes
Analysts point to several factors that have coincided with the slide: rising energy and grocery costs and public unease over the administration’s posture toward Iran, among other issues. Trump’s approval also dipped to similar lows after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump disembarks from Air Force One in New Jersey on July 31, 2026. / Daniel Heuer / REUTERS
Trump’s Response To Unfavorable Numbers
Trump has repeatedly contested unfavorable polls, calling them dishonest and frequently citing more favorable figures from surveys he highlights or commissions himself. For example, he referenced a self-commissioned survey that showed about 50% approval and then publicly suggested—even more broadly—that other polls put him as high as 65%.
“He’s always going to project strength regardless of what the numbers are, and he’ll say they’re fake anyway,” Republican strategist Douglas Heye told The New York Times.
Political Implications
Despite his electoral victories, Trump has never won a majority of the popular vote in presidential elections he carried, and he has not exceeded 50% approval in Gallup’s tracking. High levels of “strong disapproval” among Democratic voters could increase turnout and complicate the midterm outlook for Republicans, while Trump’s dismissal of bad polls appears intended to blunt the political impact of negative headlines.
Bottom line: Current polling places Trump near the weakest approval levels of any second-term president in modern polling history, with only Richard Nixon recording a lower reading immediately before his resignation. Trump continues to dispute those figures and highlight more favorable surveys.
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