Trump’s Approval Rating Hits Record Lows in Second Term

A recent aggregation of national polls shows President Donald Trump’s job-approval at its lowest point in his second term. The New York Times polling average records 58 percent disapproval and 39 percent approval, yielding a net rating of -19 percentage points. RealClearPolitics and Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin report comparable net ratings of -17.1 and -18.8 points, respectively. Seven polls published in the past week placed his overall approval below 40 percent, a threshold traditionally viewed as politically precarious.

New York Magazine

Two interlocking factors dominate the explanatory landscape. First, the ongoing conflict with Iran has become broadly unpopular; Silver Bulletin aggregates indicate 39 percent of respondents support the war while 54 percent oppose it. Second, rising living-cost pressures have eroded confidence in the administration’s economic stewardship. AP-NORC finds only 23 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, with 76 percent disapproving. A Fox News poll notes that 70 percent of voters now say the economy is worsening for their families, up from 55 percent a year earlier. Among Republicans, the share who say the economy is getting worse has doubled since last April, reaching nearly half of the party’s voters.

The Hill

Independent voters exhibit the steepest drop. Economist-YouGov (April 20) records 27 percent approval versus 60 percent disapproval; AP-NORC reports 23 percent approval and 76 percent disapproval. Marquette Law School’s partisan breakdown shows independents approving only 39 percent on border security, 16 percent on the Iran war, 15 percent on the economy, and 7 percent on inflation. Hispanic/Latino respondents also lean heavily negative: Florida International University finds 31 percent approval and 67 percent disapproval, while Marquette notes net approval deficits of -53 points among Puerto Ricans, -48 points among Mexican Americans, and -39 points among South-American voters. Youth sentiment is similarly unfavorable; Marquette reports a 19 percent approval versus 81 percent disapproval among adults under 30, and the Yale Youth Poll confirms a declining net approval across all sub-35 age groups.

New York Magazine

In Tennessee, state-level polls echo the national pattern but reveal internal variation. Reuters/Ipsos (April 20) lists 36 percent favorable and 62 percent unfavorable, whereas a separate Tennessee poll shows 51 percent of residents approving the president’s performance and 43 percent disapproving. Party affiliation remains a strong predictor: 86 percent of Tennessee Republicans approve, while 98 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of independents disapprove. Racial breakdowns indicate 89 percent disapproval among Black voters and 55 percent among Hispanic/Latino voters, contrasted with 60 percent approval among white voters.

New York Magazine

The erosion of support among independents, Hispanic voters, and younger adults threatens the coalition that delivered Trump’s 2024 victory. Midterm strategists on both sides view the approval slump as a potential referendum on the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict and the cost-of-living crisis. Republican internal polling suggests a narrowing margin among swing voters, with independents approving the president at roughly one-quarter of the electorate.

New York Magazine

On April 21, President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire intended to give Iranian leaders additional time to consider U.S. peace proposals. Simultaneously, the U.S. Navy continued to block vessels bound for Iranian ports, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two ships for alleged maritime violations. Administration officials are slated to travel to Islamabad for a second round of talks with Iranian representatives before the ceasefire deadline expires.

Memphis Commerical Appeal

Democratic and independent respondents overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s performance, with 98 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of independents expressing disapproval in Tennessee. Across the nation, 71 percent of adults consider the president “not even-tempered,” a view shared by 92 percent of Democrats, 75 percent of independents, and a majority of Republicans. Mental-sharpness assessments show 51 percent of adults believe his mental fitness has declined, with 85 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of independents sharing that view. Conservative media figures, including former ally Tucker Carlson, have publicly withdrawn support.

Memphis Commerical Appeal

Discrepancies appear among national and state surveys. While Reuters/Ipsos and The Hill cite a 36 percent approval rate, Rasmussen’s April 22 poll lists a 45 percent favorable rating. Tennessee’s internal poll reports 51 percent approval, contrasting with the 36 percent national figure. Support for the Iran war varies between 35 percent and 36 percent across polls. These variations underscore methodological differences and timing effects.

The Hill

The ceasefire deadline approaches, and a second round of diplomatic talks with Iran is expected in the coming weeks. Midterm elections in November will test whether the declining approval among swing voters translates into electoral losses for Republican candidates. Continued monitoring of approval trends will be essential for assessing the administration’s political trajectory.

The Hill