A new poll shows Donald Trump’s approval rating has hit a record low. More Americans than ever before, across both of his presidential terms, say he is doing a bad job. Public confidence has eroded as concerns over inflation and foreign policy dominate voter sentiment.
61% of Americans believe Donald Trump is doing a bad job in new poll
The Economist/YouGov poll, conducted May 29 to June 1, finds that 61% of Americans disapprove of how Donald Trump is handling his job as president. It is up from 59% the week before and the highest disapproval number recorded in either of his terms. Just 35% approve, giving Trump a net job approval of -26, tied for his lowest rating ever.
Over the past three consecutive Economist/YouGov polls, Trump has averaged a net approval of -24 — also a record low. Independent voters are driving much of the decline. Only 21% of Independents now approve of Trump’s performance, while 71% disapprove, a net approval of -50.
That is a record low among Independents for either term. At the same point in his first term, the president held a -3 net approval among that group. His current standing with Independents now resembles how Democrats viewed him at the very start of his first presidency, when he had a -54 net approval among them.
Donald Trump’s record-low overall approval coincides with deep dissatisfaction on two major issues: inflation and the war in Iran. Only 24% of Americans approve of his handling of inflation, while 72% disapprove, a net approval of -48 for the issue.
Trump began his second term with a positive rating on inflation, but it has steadily fallen. Americans consistently rate his inflation handling worse than his performance on the economy, immigration, foreign policy, and crime.
The pain at the pump is a big part of that picture. Some 72% of Americans say petrol prices are rising where they live — a figure that has held above two-thirds for ten consecutive polls dating back to mid-March. On Iran, 64% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the situation, which is up from 48% in January. Only 29% approve, down from 34% at the start of the year.
The new poll numbers come as Trump and his party approach midterm elections.
