President Trump’s job approval rating has fallen into the low-40s, signaling mounting pressure as independents and moderates shift away.
At a Glance
- Reuters/Ipsos shows Trump’s approval stuck at 40%, matching his lowest level of this term.
- Gallup reports 37% approval, a second-term low, with independents down to 29%.
- Pew Research finds approval at 38% and disapproval at 60%.
- Aggregated averages put Trump near 45% approval versus 50–53% disapproval.
- Hispanic approval has dropped to just 32%, underscoring demographic weakness.
Cracks in the Coalition
A mid-August Reuters/Ipsos poll captured the president’s approval at 40%, tying his weakest point of the term and continuing a downward slide from 47% at the start of the year. The figure underscores the challenge of retaining support outside his core base, with Hispanic voters registering just 32% approval—the lowest mark among any large demographic group measured this year.
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The Gallup survey covering July 7–21 reflects a steeper fall: overall approval declined to 37%, the lowest of his second term. Among independents, the drop is sharper—down to 29% approval from 46% in January. That 17-point swing highlights a growing vulnerability among voters who proved decisive in the 2024 election outcome.
A Pew Research survey in mid-August placed Trump’s approval at 38%, slipping from 41% just two months earlier. The same survey measured disapproval at 60%, suggesting entrenched opposition. Although 85% of 2024 Trump voters still approve of his job performance, that figure has eroded from near-unanimous loyalty earlier in his term, marking incremental softening within his own ranks.
Polling Aggregates Point to a Persistent Decline
While individual surveys can fluctuate, the composite averages also point downward. RealClearPolitics’ late-August tracker places Trump’s approval at 45.9%, with disapproval at 50.8%. Ballotpedia and VoteHub both list approval around 44% and disapproval above 52%, numbers that indicate a stable but negative spread of 6–8 points.
Such aggregated measures provide a buffer against outliers, and their consistency underscores the broader trend: approval stuck in the mid-40s or below, disapproval steady above 50%. That dynamic has prevailed for much of 2025, punctuated only by brief upticks during periods of economic optimism earlier in the year.
Electoral and Strategic Implications
The polling trajectory carries implications for Trump’s political strategy heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond. Independent voters, once open to his economic messaging, appear increasingly skeptical of his handling of immigration and fiscal policy. Gallup’s cross-tabs reveal double-digit disapproval gaps on these issues, with only 30–35% of independents supportive.
Pew data also signal a shift in perceptions of Trump’s personal qualities. Just 37% now agree he “cares about the needs of ordinary people,” a drop of 5–8 points since spring. Views of his honesty and trustworthiness have also slipped, with fewer than 35% rating him positively on either measure.
These findings suggest that while Trump’s loyal base remains substantial, his ability to broaden appeal has weakened. With disapproval entrenched above 50%, the margin for political maneuver is narrowing. Unless offset by significant economic gains or foreign policy wins, the erosion among independents and demographic minorities could shape both legislative leverage and the national political climate heading into the next electoral cycle.
Sources
RealClearPolitics## Poll Crash or Just a Bump?
