Falling support across top metrics
President Trump’s approval ratings have fallen into a consistent downward trend, with various recent polls showing growing voter dissatisfaction in main policy areas. Trump’s total approval rating in mid-October 2025 stands at around 44 to 42 percent, with disapproval at 52 percent, one of the lowest levels since the start of his second term. That is a serious deterioration from the 52 percent approval in January 2025, soon after his return to office.
The sharpest drop is in economic approval, where Trump’s huge advantage was seen before. The CNBC All-America Economic Survey released October 17 finds only 42 percent of Americans agreeing with Trump’s management of the economy and 55 percent disagreeing, for a net approval of minus 13, the lowest ever at any time during either of his terms in office. This is a marked contrast from his first presidency, when economic ratings consistently eclipsed his overall approval ratings and were a political strength.
Economic anxieties drive discontent
Voter dissatisfaction is largely concerned with inflation and living expenses. A mere 34 percent of respondents concur with Trump’s handling of inflation and living costs while 62 percent disagree, the lowest among three CNBC polls conducted during his current presidency. His tariff policies have also not fared well in opinion surveys with 56 percent disapproving and as low as 41 percent approving, resulting in a net rating of -15.
Peter Loge, political communication professor at George Washington University, spoke about the concern behind: “Many Americans are feeling a little uneasy about the economy. They are uncertain about the impact of tariffs, and the economic consequences of the government shutdown will soon ripple throughout the economy”. The ongoing government shutdown, which began on October 1 and has now surpassed two weeks, has also contributed to economic anxiety as even though the President’s approval rating received a little nudge because of the government shutdown.
Erosion in critical demographics
Trump’s support appears to be eroding within ranks that fueled his 2024 victory. Men, a key demographic, have been trending negatively on approval for three months. In August, 45 percent of men approved of Trump’s job performance, but in October that had slumped to 42 percent as disapproval increased to 53 percent, for a net approval of minus 11. This decline is particularly noteworthy given the fact that 55 percent of men voted for Trump in the 2024 election.
Younger voters turned sharply against the president. A CBS News-YouGov poll discovered that adult support below age 30 declined from 55 percent in February to only 28 percent late in the summer. Further, approximately 10 percent of Trump’s supporters in 2024 now admit some level of regret, mixed feelings, or wishing that they hadn’t voted, up from earlier in the year.
Independent voters, who have a tendency to swing the election, have become increasingly cynical. “Independents are particularly sensitive to economic issues” and “less prone to partisan matters and much more responsive to money and economic issues”, says Jay Campbell, a partner with Hart Research. This group has been most interested in healthcare cost policy and food assistance programs.
Swing state vulnerability
For the first time since President Trump began his second term, his approval rating turned negative in all seven of the most important key swing states that he won in 2024. Morning Consult polls show net negative approvals in Pennsylvania (-2), Wisconsin (-5), Michigan (-1), Arizona (-1), Nevada (-3), Georgia (-1), and North Carolina (-3). In North Carolina alone, a Elon University poll found Trump’s net approval at -11 points, down five points since April.
The changes have implications for midterm elections in 2026, as Senate and House seats in those states come up for election. Political observers warn that discontent in strong Republican areas means trouble ahead.
Partisan loyalty remains strong
Despite increasing issues, Trump continues to receive massive support from his own party. Approximately 90 percent of Republican voters continue to back him, and 83 percent also remain satisfied with his performance. Out of Trump voters in November 2024, 94 percent continue to believe they made a good decision, albeit down from 98 percent who believed this at this point during his first term.
The longevity of this inner support has kept Trump’s approval rating from completely crashing. As a commentary noted, although Trump is “unpopular but has a rock-solid approval rating,” his numbers “have been holding up well in recent months, which suggests that a lot of voters have solidified their views on him”.
The convergence of economic concern, the shutdown, and policy disappointments has created a challenging political environment for Trump. As his immigration approval ratings drop from good 11 early in his term to bad 3.2 today, even strong issue stances that once were secure have been lost. As the administration approaches the 2026 midterms, the question is whether these declining numbers are a short-term rough patch or an underlying realignment of voter sentiment that will reshape the political landscape.
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