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Trump's Approval Rating Hits New Second-Term Low, Pew Survey Shows
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Declining Approval in Latest Pew Survey
A new Pew Research Center survey released in early October indicates that only about 30 % of American adults approve of President Donald Trump’s handling of the presidency. This marks the lowest approval rating recorded for Trump during his second term and is just one percentage point above the 29 % low recorded at the end of his first term in early 2021.
Background & Context: Historical Comparisons and Upcoming Midterms
The poll’s findings arrive weeks before the highly contested midterm elections, where Republicans are seeking to retain narrow majorities in Congress. For comparison, former President Joe Biden’s lowest approval in July 2024 was 32 %, while former President Barack Obama’s low between October and November 2013 was 41 %. The current rating therefore trails both predecessors by several points.
Data & Statistics: Key Numbers from the Survey
- Approval of Trump’s performance: 30 % (Pew Research Center).
- Approval among self-identified Trump voters: 67 %, a drop of 28 points since the start of his term.
- Republican satisfaction with the nation’s direction: 39 %.
- Democrats’ generic congressional ballot advantage: 8 points.
- Voters rating the economy as “very important” to their vote: 84 %.
- Respondents describing current economic conditions as “excellent or good”: 21 %.
The survey sampled 5,062 adults with a margin of error of 1.6 percentage points and was conducted from late September through early October.
Political Implications: Impact on Midterms and Party Sentiment
The low approval rating underscores growing dissatisfaction among both the general electorate and Trump’s own base, potentially weakening Republican prospects in the upcoming midterms. The strong emphasis voters place on the economy—combined with only a fifth of respondents viewing economic conditions positively—suggests that economic issues will dominate campaign narratives.
Official Statements & Responses
President Trump responded to the poll by asserting that it would be a “great discredit” for the Nobel committee if he does not receive the Nobel Peace Prize, framing the poll’s results as a challenge to his legacy. No other official responses were reported in the source material.