According to a new Gallup poll issued Thursday, President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest level during his second term. Only 37% of Americans are satisfied with the president’s performance, which is close to the 34% rating he obtained in the last days of his first term, after the Capitol riot on January 6.
Why It Matters
In order to convey political strength during rallies and media appearances, Trump has traditionally relied on positive polling. His authority may be undermined as Republicans prepare for the 2026 midterm elections if his approval continues to decline, especially among independents. Public popularity seems to have been damaged by months of economic worry, backlash over immigration policy, and a contentious tax overhaul, despite early momentum following his return to the White House in January.
The declining trend may indicate growing difficulties for Trump and his party as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress, even if swings in popularity ratings are normal.
The Numbers
Trump’s approval rating has fallen 10 points since he took office in January, and a startling 17 points among independent voters, who are seen to be crucial to the GOP’s 2026 prospects. In June of last year, Gallup hit his second-term low of 40%.
There is a 4 percentage point margin of error in the most current survey, which was completed by 1,002 American adults on July 7-21.
Trump’s handling of particular topics has also seen a drop in approval ratings:
-
Immigration
: Net -22% (38% approve, 60% disapprove) -
Economy
: Negative trend since February -
Middle East
: Declining approval amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict -
Foreign Trade
: Mixed, but slipping
Despite this, Trump continues to have solid Republican support, with high intra-party acceptance on almost all issues surveyed.
What Analysts Are Saying
Harry Enten, a CNN data analyst, said about X: As the USS Donald Trump absorbs a lot of water, Trump hits a new low. Since January, his net approval has decreased by 17 points, reaching -11 at this time. Underwater on every significant issue, ranging from Epstein (-37) to immigration (-5). At this time, only the presidency has worse numbers? Trump term 1.
According to the American Immigration Council’s Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Trump’s net immigration score of -22% is his second-worst ever.
According to Gallup, Trump has accomplished a large portion of his agenda by the end of the second quarter of his second term. Few Americans, however, are happy with his performance outside of his Republican constituency. At this time in his second term, his rating is at its lowest level since the beginning of his first term.
Trump Responds
Trump disregarded the results on Truth Social and asserted that internal data told a different tale:
Since the Radical Left Democrats and troublemakers revealed the Jeffrey Epstein hoax, my poll numbers within the Republican Party and MAGA have increased dramatically. According to numerous polls, they have achieved Republican Party records of 90%, 92%, 93%, and 95%! I’ve never had so high numbers for a general election!
What s Next
Republican control of Congress may be in jeopardy as the 2026 midterm elections draw near due to the dwindling support, particularly among women, younger voters, and independents. Midterm elections typically result in a loss of seats for the president’s party; however, in 2018, during Trump’s first term, Democrats won 40 House seats.
Trump’s political capital may be severely damaged going into a crucial election season if the administration is unable to buck these trends.
