President Donald Trump’s net disapproval rating has slipped to its worst mark of his second term in office, a new poll by The Economist and YouGov shows.
Why It Matters
Trump has routinely touted positive approval ratings and polling at news conferences and campaign rallies. Declines in these numbers could hinder his political clout in an already highly polarized climate as the 2026 midterms approach.
When Trump returned to the White House in January, he coasted in with high approval figures. But after months marked by economic uncertainty and criticism, the administration has faced over policies like his handling of immigration and his recently passed “big, beautiful bill,” Trump has seen a dip.
The up-and-down nature of approval polls can paint a picture of the landscape heading into the 2026 elections, where Democrats hope to regain control of the House and the Senate.
What To Know
In the poll, the president has a 40 percent approval rating and a 55 percent disapproval rating.
“This net disapproval—the percent who approve minus the percent who disapprove—of -15 is the lowest Trump has received in his second term,” YouGov’s Public Relations Lead Allen Houston told Newsweek.
The poll surveyed 1,777 respondents from July 25 to July 28, with a margin of error of 3.4 percent.
Trump’s approval ratings are also underwater on key policy issues, including down 11 percent on jobs and the economy, down 25 percent on inflation and prices and down 6 percent on immigration, the poll shows.
In the previous poll taken from July 18 to July 21, the president’s approval rating was 41 percent to 55 percent disapproval. And in a poll from July 11 to July 14, the president’s approval rating was also 41 percent with a disapproval rating of 55 percent.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
D. Stephen Voss, political science professor at the University of Kentucky, told Newsweek: “Presidents regularly see their approval ratings drop during their first year in office. Not all of their supporters will have wanted the same sort of presidency. Because a president can’t be all things to all people, some of the voters who helped put them in office are inevitably disappointed.
“President Trump is alienating more voters more quickly than most past presidents because he has moved aggressively in so many policy domains. Presidents in the past usually have been more cautious in picking their battles, so their support typically eroded more slowly.”
Voss continued: “Voters typically emphasize the economy. Inflation was one of the main issues that put President Trump in office, yet consumers may be facing even higher prices under President Trump due to the tariffs starting to kick in. The longer he’s in office, the more President Trump will start to own the high cost of living that made voters angry at President Biden.
“Note the parallel to President Obama. He was swept into office, a transitional president, in large part due to the Great Recession. But his popularity slid pretty quickly as unemployment persisted on his watch.”
Robert Y. Shapiro, political science professor at Columbia University, to Newsweek via email Tuesday: “The drop has to do with there being more perceived bad news than good news regarding his performance [in] office. The bad news is on what is perceived as an Epstein-related coverup, prices not falling further as was expected on his watch and may increase due to his tariffs, his and Secretary Noem’s Homeland Security and ICE thugs are brutalizing and prioritizing law-abiding and productive immigrants compared to their expected focus on immigrant criminals, and the public dislikes his “big beautiful bill” that is cutting desired health and food assistance benefits to enable lower taxes for the rich.”
Shapiro continued: “The reason for his not being so concerned is that his support among his base has held strong and Congress has done everything he has wanted except allow the Epstein scandal to disappear. He himself is not up for re-election (so won’t lose an election himself) and there is no clear sign–yet–that the Democrats are assured of taking control of the House and/or Senate. The Democrats are more unpopular than he is. He will not have to worry until closer to the 2026 election if it looks as though the Democrats will win back the House, which would make him a severe ‘lame duck’ President, and he and his administration may be subjected to all manner of congressional investigations.”
Fox News co-host Jessica Tarlov, on X on July 26: “Donald Trump’s approval rating on inflation in the latest Fox News poll is 36%. Tariffs are driving up costs and the American people are angry. There’s no sugar coating that, no matter how some may try.”
Gallup, on X on July 24: “Six months into his second term, President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has dipped to 37%. This is the lowest rating of Trump’s second term and just slightly higher than his all-time worst rating of 34% at the end of his first term.”
Trump, earlier this month on Truth Social: “My Poll Numbers within the Republican Party, and MAGA, have gone up, significantly, since the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax was exposed by the Radical Left Democrats and, just plain ‘troublemakers.’ They have hit 90%, 92%, 93%, and 95%, in various polls, and are all Republican Party records. The General Election numbers are my highest, EVER! People like Strong Borders, and all of the many other things I have done. GOD BLESS AMERICA. MAGA!”
What Happens Next
Polls charting the president’s overall approval rating and approval on specific policies are expected to continue week after week.
Update 7/29/25, 6:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Shapiro.
