President Donald Trump’s approval rating saw a decline in four out of five polls conducted this week, with one survey indicating an all-time low across both his terms in office. This dip in public sentiment coincides with consumer confidence reaching its lowest point this month.
Timeline of Poll Results
May 20: In a rare positive turn for the former president this week, the Associated Press-NORC poll (conducted May 14-18 among 1,117 U.S. adults, margin of error 3.8%) showed Trump’s approval rating rising four points to 37%. This marks an increase from his second-term record low of 33% in mid-April. His economic approval also saw a modest rise from 30% to 33%, though still significantly lower than the 40% recorded shortly after he assumed office last year.
May 20: Conversely, Quinnipiac’s polling (May 14-18, 1,106 registered voters, margin of error 3.7%) reported a four-point drop in Trump’s approval rating from mid-April, settling at 34%. His disapproval rating climbed three points to 58%, marking a new record low for his approval in Quinnipiac’s surveys. Furthermore, his economic approval rating reached its lowest point yet at 33%, a decrease from 38% in mid-April.
May 20: A Fox News poll revealed Trump’s overall job approval at 39% and disapproval at 61%. A majority of respondents expressed disapproval across all five issues covered: border security, foreign policy, the economy, inflation, and Trump’s recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. His overall approval has fallen three points since Fox’s April poll, with disapproval rising by the same margin. The cost of living emerged as the primary economic concern for 58% of voters, an increase from 50% in February, while 77% believe the economy is in poor condition, up from 73% last month (survey of 1,002 registered voters, May 15-18, margin of error 3%).
May 19: The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll (May 15-18, 1,271 U.S. adults, margin of error 3%) showed Trump with a 35% approval rating, a one-point decrease from their earlier May poll, though still one point above his second-term record low of 34%. Notably, Republican disapproval of his performance has surged to 21% from just 5% in January 2025, while Republican approval has dropped three points this month to 79%, a significant decline from 91% at the beginning of his term.
May 18: The Times/Siena poll (May 11-15, 1,507 registered voters, margin of error 2.8%) placed Trump’s overall approval at 37% and disapproval at 59%. This aligns with majority disapproval on five critical issues: immigration, the economy, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the war in Iran, and the cost of living. According to New York Times’ averages, no president’s approval has dropped below 38% for more than a few days in the last 17 years. The economy is viewed as “poor” by nearly half (49%) of respondents, an 11-point jump from January. Only 28% believe Trump has handled the cost of living effectively, a six-point decrease since January, with Republican support on this issue falling 14 points since the start of the year.
May 13: Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin polling average recorded Trump’s net approval rating at -18.9, a new low for his second term. This reflects a series of surveys indicating unprecedented negativity among Americans regarding Trump’s job performance.
May 11: Reuters/Ipsos polling (May 8-11, 1,254 U.S. adults, margin of error 3%) showed a two-point improvement in Trump’s approval rating, reaching 36% from its late-April record low of 34%. However, 63% still disapprove of his job performance. His weekly approval has not surpassed 36% since the U.S. and Israel’s actions against Iran on February 28, a significant drop from the approximately 40% he maintained last summer. The conflict with Iran has negatively affected perceptions of both Trump and Republicans; 66% of respondents, including 30% of Republicans and 73% of independents, feel Trump has not adequately articulated his war objectives. Furthermore, three-quarters of respondents, including half of Republicans, attribute at least partial blame to his administration for the 50% surge in gas prices since the conflict began. A majority (65%) hold Republicans more responsible for rising gas prices than Democrats, and 80% anticipate further increases.
May 10: A Financial Times poll (May 1-5, 3,167 registered voters, margin of error 2.1%) found 53% of respondents held an unfavorable view of Trump, against 41% with a favorable view. Additionally, 51% disapproved of his management of jobs and the economy.
May 6: The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist survey (April 27-30, 1,322 U.S. adults, margin of error 3.1%) showed Trump’s disapproval rating climbing two points to 59% since March, and five points since December. His approval rating simultaneously fell one point to 37% from both March and December. A growing number of Americans, including Republicans, express disapproval of Trump’s handling of the Iran war and the economy. Disapproval regarding Iran has risen from 54% in March to 60% overall, and from 15% to 22% among Republicans. Similarly, 61% of Americans and 23% of Republicans disapprove of his economic management, up from 58% and 17% in March, respectively.
May 5: A Forbes/HarrisX poll (2,512 U.S. adults, margin of error 1.95%) reported Trump with a 41% approval and 55% disapproval rating. The majority of respondents in this poll also disapproved of his approach to inflation, the economy, and tariffs and trade.
May 3: A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll (April 24-28, 2,560 adults, margin of error 2%) indicated only 37% of American adults approved of Trump’s job performance, while his disapproval rating hit a new high of 62%. The survey revealed substantial disapproval on crucial issues ahead of the November midterm elections: 76% disapproved of his handling of the cost of living, 72% of inflation, and 66% of the war with Iran. This comes days after the same pollsters found 61% of adults considered the war a “mistake.” The poll also highlighted Democrats’ strongest advantage yet in the race to retake the House, with 49% favoring Democratic candidates compared to 44% for Republicans, an increase from a two-point lead in February.
May 1: Pew Research Center polling (April 20-26, 5,103 voters, margin of error 1.6%) reported Trump’s approval rating plummeting to a record low of 34%, making it at least the third poll this week to show his numbers at an all-time low for his second term. This decline isn’t limited to Democrats; Trump is also losing support among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with approval among this group falling to 68% from 73% in January.
April 29: Reuters/Ipsos polling (April 24-27, 1,629 U.S. adults, margin of error 2.9%) registered a new record low for Trump’s approval rating, dropping to 34%, two points down from their mid-April survey. Approval of his handling of the cost of living also fell two points to 22%, a period marked by spiking gas prices since the end of February’s Iran war, reaching a four-year high of $4.30 per gallon on Thursday.
April 29: The latest Emerson College survey (April 24-26, 1,000 likely voters, margin of error 3%) indicated Trump’s approval rating dipped two points from March to 40%, while his disapproval rating rose five points to 56%. This poll further highlights his struggle with economic concerns, as his economic disapproval rating has climbed seven points to 56% year-over-year, despite a one-point improvement in his economic approval to 38%. Among Hispanic voters, Trump’s approval has seen a dramatic shift, with 70% now disapproving and 29% approving, a stark contrast to 44% disapproval and 41% approval a year ago.
April 28: An April Harvard CAPS/HarrisX poll (April 23-26, 2,745 registered voters, margin of error 2%) reported Trump’s approval rating at 42%, his lowest in the past year and a one-point drop from March. Interestingly, this poll noted growing support for his actions in Iran, despite bipartisan concerns over rising gas prices. Eighty-five percent of voters worry that higher gas prices will exacerbate the cost of living, and 52% believe the economy has worsened under Trump compared to President Joe Biden’s tenure. Uniquely, this survey found 52% support for U.S. airstrikes against Iran, with a plurality (35%) acknowledging the war lacks clear direction but still backing U.S. efforts to compel Iran to abandon enriched uranium.
April 28: The Economist/YouGov’s weekly survey (April 24-27, 1,836 U.S. adults, margin of error 3.2%) showed Trump’s approval rating falling one point to 37%, and his disapproval rating rising five points to 59% compared to the prior week. While his approval among Republicans remains robust at 86% with six months to the midterm election, 64% of independents disapprove of his job performance (poll of 2,201 registered voters, April 24-27, margin of error 2%).
April 19: An NBC News poll reported that only 37% of adults held a positive view of Trump’s presidency, marking a new low for the network’s internal surveys, while a 63% majority disapproved of his job performance. The poll also indicated widespread disapproval of Trump’s handling of the war in Iran, with 54% strongly disapproving and an additional 13% somewhat disapproving. Economic issues, including inflation and the cost of living, also drew majority disapproval, exacerbated by the Iran war driving up prices for gasoline and other goods; 52% strongly disapproved, an increase from 44% in April last year. Trump’s approval rating at this juncture is comparable to former President Joe Biden’s, who had a 41% approval rating in May 2022, according to Gallup.
Big Number
43%: This was Trump’s approval rating in the second week of May 2018, during his first term, as reported by Gallup.
Key Background
Trump commenced his second term with an approval rating of 52% and a disapproval rating of 43%, according to The New York Times’ polling average. His support saw a significant decline following the announcement of his “Liberation Day” tariffs last April, and again with the onset of the Iran war in late February. The New York Times reports his average disapproval rating for his second term hit a record high of 58% on April 22 and has remained at that level. Throughout his second term, voters have consistently expressed high economic concerns, and the Iran war has been linked to a surge in negative economic perceptions due to skyrocketing gas prices. This decline in Trump’s approval ratings emerges as Democrats show potential to outperform Republicans in the upcoming midterms, with an Emerson poll from late April indicating a 10-point advantage for Democrats on the generic congressional ballot, despite 10% of voters remaining undecided.
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