Trump’s Approval Ratings Plunge as 2026 Midterms Loom

Civiqs’ rolling online poll shows President Donald Trump slipping into deep negative territory as the 2026 midterm elections approach. On September 4 2026, the president recorded 34 % approval and 60 % disapproval (net -26). On August 31 2026 he was at 35 % approval and 59 % disapproval (net -24), far worse than the +6 net rating when he took office on January 20 2025.

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• Young voters (18-34): 22 % approve, 70 % disapprove.

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• Adults 35-49: 28 % approve, 63 % disapprove.

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• Women: 30 % approve, 64 % disapprove (ActiVote, Sept 1).

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• Men: 41 % approve, 54 % disapprove.

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• Post-college graduates: 23 % approve, 72 % disapprove.

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• Non-college graduates: 39 % approve, 55 % disapprove.

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Every major swing state now shows a negative net rating:

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• Arizona – 14 to -18 points

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• Florida – 10 to -13 points (down from +9 in Jan 2025)

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• Georgia – 23 to -25 points

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• Nevada – 23 to -25 points (from 0 in Jan 2025)

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• North Carolina – 16 to -18 points (from 0)

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• Ohio – 17 to -19 points (from +8)

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• Pennsylvania – 18 points

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• Wisconsin – 18 points

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Traditional Republican states also fell: Kentucky from +23 to -7, Wyoming from +47 to +22, and Texas from +6 to -20.

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ActiVote’s tracking shows rural support moving from a +12 net rating in June to -3 in July and -10 in September 2026. The shift preceded Trump’s August 21 announcement to temporarily suspend tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef, intended to lower grocery prices.

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White House spokesman Davis Ingle has framed the polling numbers against the president’s 2024 victory, calling the November 5 2024 election “the ultimate poll.” He cites progress on jobs, inflation and housing affordability, arguing the agenda is “just the beginning.”

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Republican senators John Barrasso, Tom Cotton, Thom Tillis, Mike Rounds, Jerry Moran, Chuck Grassley, Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts have criticized the temporary beef-import policy, warning it could depress domestic cattle prices and undermine the “America-First” agricultural strategy.

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Policy-focused pollster Christine Matthews of Bellwether Research notes that women who supported Trump in 2024 because of inflation concerns are now abandoning him, citing rising grocery and gasoline costs.

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All cited polls agree Trump’s net approval is negative nationwide, but the exact magnitude varies (-24, -26, or -27). Subgroup estimates carry larger margins of error, and the impact of the beef-import policy on rural sentiment cannot be isolated because the August 2026 poll was fielded before the announcement.

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The next major electoral milestone is the November 3 2026 midterm election, where control of Congress will be decided. Polls indicate that economic issues—particularly inflation and cost of living—remain top concerns for voters, suggesting the president’s approval trends could influence down-ballot races.

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