Trump Approval Sinks as Americans Sour on Economy Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections

Nearly 600 days into Donald Trump’s second presidency, multiple national surveys show declining public approval as economic concerns and dissatisfaction over immigration create growing political risks for Republicans.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2026 — President Donald Trump is approaching 600 days of his second term with approval ratings near their lowest levels, creating an increasingly difficult political environment for Republicans.

An Associated Press-NORC survey conducted in July found only about one-third of American adults approved of Trump’s performance, down slightly from 37 percent measured by the poll in June.

The decline represents a significant shift from the beginning of Trump’s second presidency. AP-NORC found 42 percent approved of his job performance when he returned to the White House.

Other major polling organizations have reported similarly difficult numbers. Pew Research Center measured Trump’s approval at 34 percent in July, with 64 percent of Americans saying they disapproved of his performance.

Economist/YouGov polling published in August produced an even wider gap, finding 33 percent approval and 62 percent disapproval, giving Trump a net job approval rating of minus 29 points.

That represented Trump’s lowest approval level recorded by an Economist/YouGov survey across either of his presidential terms, according to YouGov’s analysis of its polling history.

 

 

Trump’s current standing is also weak by historical standards. Pew found his 34 percent rating below the 40 percent he recorded at approximately the same stage of his first presidency.

Former President Joe Biden stood at 37 percent during the comparable period of his presidency, while Barack Obama registered considerably stronger approval during both comparable midterm-election periods, Pew reported.

Economic dissatisfaction appears to be one of Trump’s biggest vulnerabilities as voters prepare for November’s congressional elections, despite the economy having been central to his successful 2024 presidential campaign.

An AP-NORC poll placed approval of Trump’s handling of the economy at just 32 percent in July, compared with 40 percent shortly after he returned to office in 2025.

Pew’s research provides another indication of that dissatisfaction. Six in ten Americans said Trump’s policies had worsened economic conditions, increasing from 52 percent who expressed that opinion in January.

Even among Republicans, economic assessments have weakened. The proportion saying Trump’s policies improved economic conditions declined from 57 percent in January to 42 percent by July, Pew reported.

Meanwhile, the Republican share saying Trump’s policies had worsened economic conditions increased from 18 percent to 28 percent, suggesting dissatisfaction is no longer confined entirely to Democratic voters.

Immigration, another signature Trump issue, has also become politically challenging. AP reported that majorities now disapprove of Trump’s handling of both immigration and the economy ahead of November’s elections.

The president nevertheless retains considerable loyalty within the Republican coalition. Pew’s July survey found 69 percent of Republicans approved of Trump’s overall job performance, compared with 29 percent who disapproved.

Democratic attitudes remain overwhelmingly negative. Ninety-three percent of Democrats surveyed by Pew disapproved of Trump’s job performance, demonstrating the intense partisan divide that continues to characterize evaluations of his presidency.

More politically mixed conservative groups have shown greater movement. Approval among Pew’s “Unconventional Right” category dropped from 78 percent at the beginning of Trump’s second term to 51 percent.

Among the “Pragmatic and Polite Right,” another Republican-leaning but ideologically mixed group, Trump’s approval fell from 50 percent near the beginning of his term to only 34 percent.

Those shifts are increasingly important because the November midterms will determine control of Congress during the final two years of Trump’s presidency, affecting legislation, nominations and the remainder of his agenda.

Republicans once appeared relatively confident about maintaining Senate control, but AP reports that Trump’s declining approval and voter dissatisfaction with the economy have helped make several previously unlikely states increasingly competitive.

Democrats are consequently contesting Republican-held Senate seats in states including Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and North Carolina, while Republicans are simultaneously targeting opportunities in Michigan and New Hampshire.

Trump nevertheless remains central to Republican campaigning. A political organization associated with him recently spent $10 million supporting Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, according to the Associated Press.

Both parties recognize that attitudes toward Trump could become a major motivation for voters, much as his presidency shaped the 20

The political environment remains fluid with weeks remaining before Election Day, but current polling provides a consistent message: considerably more Americans disapprove than approve of Trump’s performance as president.

Whether those ratings translate into Republican losses will ultimately depend on individual races, turnout and candidate quality, but Trump’s standing has added another major challenge for his party entering November.