Trump’s Approval Rating Plummets to Record Low Amid Republican Opposition to ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund

Recent Polling Highlights:

• May 28: Emerson’s May poll showed Trump at 39% approval (down from 40% in April) and 55% disapproval. (Survey of 1,000 likely voters, May 24-25, margin of error 3%).
• May 27: The Economist/YouGov poll reported 34% approval and 59% disapproval. (Survey of 1,520 U.S. adults, May 22-26, margin of error 3.6%). This poll also revealed that 52% of Republicans and 45% of MAGA supporters oppose the controversial Justice Department fund, which is intended to compensate individuals who believe they have been victimized by the government. Republican lawmakers have also expressed strong opposition to this fund, established to settle Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS and widely expected to provide taxpayer-funded payments to Jan. 6 rioters and other Trump allies.
• May 20: An Associated Press-NORC poll was the only one to show an improvement, with Trump’s approval rising four points to 37% from a second-term record low of 33% in mid-April. (Survey of 1,117 U.S. adults, May 14-18, margin of error 3.8%). His approval on the economy also slightly improved to 33%.
• May 20: Quinnipiac’s polling recorded a record-low 34% approval for Trump, a four-point decrease from mid-April, with his disapproval rising to 58%. His economic approval also hit a new low of 33%. (Survey of 1,106 registered voters, May 14-18, margin of error 3.7%).
• May 20: A Fox News poll indicated a 39% overall job approval and 61% disapproval. A majority of voters surveyed disapproved of his handling of border security, foreign policy, the economy, inflation, and his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Survey of 1,002 registered voters, May 15-18, margin of error 3%).
• May 19: The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll showed a 35% approval rating, one point above his second-term record low of 34%. Republican disapproval of his job performance has increased to 21% from 5% shortly after he took office in January 2025. (Survey of 1,271 U.S. adults, May 15-18, margin of error 3%).
• May 18: The Times/Siena poll reported a 37% overall approval and 59% disapproval, with majority disapproval on five key issues: immigration, the economy, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the war in Iran, and the cost of living. (Survey of 1,507 registered voters, May 11-15, margin of error 2.8%).
• May 13: Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin polling average saw Trump’s net approval rating dip to -18.9, a record low for his second term.
• May 11: Reuters/Ipsos polling showed a two-point improvement to 36% approval from the 34% record low at the end of April, with 63% disapproving. (Poll of 1,254 U.S. adults, May 8-11, margin of error 3%).
• May 10: A Financial Times poll found 53% of respondents had an unfavorable view of Trump, compared to 41% favorable, and 51% disapproved of his handling of jobs and the economy. (Poll of 3,167 registered voters, May 1-5, margin of error 2.1%).
• May 6: The NPR/PBS News/Marist survey reported a 37% approval rating (down one point since March) and a 59% disapproval rating (up two points). (Survey of 1,322 U.S. adults, April 27-30, margin of error 3.1%).
• May 5: A Forbes/HarrisX poll showed 41% approval and 55% disapproval, with a majority disapproving of his handling of inflation, the economy, and tariffs and trade. (Poll of 2,512 U.S. adults, margin of error 1.95%).
• May 3: A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll indicated only 37% approval of Trump’s job performance, with his disapproval rating reaching a new high at 62%. (Survey of 2,560 adults, April 24-28, margin of error 2%).
• May 1: Pew Research Center polling registered a record-low 34% approval for Trump’s second term, noting a loss of support among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. (Survey of 5,103 voters, April 20-26, margin of error 1.6%).
• April 29: Reuters/Ipsos polling hit a new record low of 34% approval, down two points from mid-April. (Survey of 1,629 U.S. adults, April 24-27, margin of error 2.9%).
• April 29: The latest Emerson College survey showed Trump’s approval dipping two points from March to 40%, with disapproval increasing five points to 56%. (Survey of 1,000 likely voters, April 24-26, margin of error 3%).
• April 28: An April Harvard CAPS/HarrisX poll reported Trump’s 42% approval rating as his lowest in the past year. (Online survey of 2,745 registered voters, April 23-26, margin of error 2%).
• April 28: The Economist/YouGov’s weekly survey noted a 37% approval rating (down one point) and 59% disapproval. (Survey of 1,836 U.S. adults, April 24-27, margin of error 3.2%).
• April 19: An NBC News poll found only 37% of adults had a positive view of Trump’s presidency, a new low for the network’s in-house polls, with 63% disapproving.

Surprising Fact:

Trump’s current approval rating is similar to former President Joe Biden’s at this point in his term. Biden had a 41% approval rating in May 2022, according to Gallup. For context, Trump’s approval rating during his first term was 41% in the week of June 28-July 3, 2018, according to Gallup.

Key Background:

President Trump began his second term with a 52% approval and 43% disapproval rating, according to The New York Times’ polling average. His support saw a sharp decline following the announcement of his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs in April last year, and further since the onset of the Iran war in late February. Voters’ economic concerns have remained a significant factor throughout his second term, with the Iran conflict exacerbating negative economic perceptions due to skyrocketing gas prices. This downturn in Trump’s approval ratings coincides with an opportunity for Democrats to potentially outperform Republicans in the upcoming midterms, as Emerson’s May poll indicates a 9-point advantage for Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, though 9% of voters remain undecided.