Copyright Newsweek
President Donald Trump's approval rating has hit a new low, according to a new polling average. According to RealClearPolitics, which aggregates several polls, the president's net approval rating is at -8.9 percentage points, the lowest in his second term so far, as per the website's tracker. Newsweek reached out to the White House by email to comment outside of normal business hours. Why It Matters A series of elections for key positions, including the New York mayor, are taking place across the country on Tuesday. If Trump is viewed negatively, this might affect the Republican Party more broadly in these elections and later in the November 2026 midterm elections. What To Know The polling average found that 44.3 percent of people approve of Trump's job performance and 53.2 percent disapprove of it, amid an ongoing government shutdown. Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek the shutdown was affecting polling numbers. A new poll by The Economist/YouGov found Trump’s approval rating at its lowest level since he returned to office in January, with 39 percent of people saying they approved of the job he is doing, while 58 percent disapproved, resulting in a net approval rating of -19 points. The poll surveyed 1,623 people from October 24 to October 27 and has a margin of error of 3.4 percent. Trump's popularity peaked on January 27, 2025, in the first few weeks of his administration. Then, his net approval rating was +6.2 percentage points. It hit a similar lows in April, when Trump implemented tariffs on trading partners and the economy suffered, and in October, when the government shutdown started. At -8.9 percentage points, Trump's net approval rating is slightly lower than former President Joe Biden's was at a comparable point in his second term, according to RealClearPolling's data. Biden's net approval rating was at -7.8 percentage points on November 4, 2021. But it is higher than it was during his first term. On November 4, 2017, Trump's net approval rating was -17.7 percentage points. What People Are Saying Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One last week: "I have my best numbers ever." Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, on X in October: "The 'experts' have been underestimating @realDonaldTrump since 1985 - he knew then and he proved today why he is the ultimate deal maker. I believe he will leave office with the highest approval rating of any modern president…the first 9.5 months were just the beginning." Thomas Gift, associate professor of political science, told Newsweek: "It’s hard to look at the shutdown and not see it weighing on Trump’s polling. Even if voters are frustrated with Democrats as well, prolonged dysfunction rarely benefits anyone politically. Government shutdowns tend to reinforce the sense that Washington is broken--and while both sides may take heat, the president typically bears the brunt of the blame." What Happens Next As his presidency continues, Trump's popularity will likely fluctuate. Whether his low approval ratings affect the GOP's performance in upcoming elections remains to be seen.
