SerpApi.Org
President Donald Trump is facing some of the weakest approval ratings of his presidency, according to a series of new national polls, with CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten arguing the numbers place him in historically poor standing for a second-term president.
Recent surveys shown on CNN from CNBC and The Washington Post show Trump with deeply negative net approval ratings, while other polling averages continue to put his overall approval below 40% nationwide.
The latest data arrives as Republicans prepare for November’s midterm elections, when control of Congress will once again be up for grabs. Voter concerns about the economy, inflation and the cost of living are expected to be issues shaping Trump's political landscape. Most recently, he is in hot water for his treatment of the media.
• Samuel L Jackson calls out Argentina for racism in viral post after 2026 World Cup final
• NewsNation viewers dub Donald Trump 'emotionally void halfwit' amid fallen troops jab
Trump entered his second term pledging to lower costs and improve economic conditions, but multiple national surveys suggest public frustration has not eased over prices and financial concerns.
Presidential approval ratings are widely viewed as a key measure of the political climate heading into congressional elections, and the latest numbers could affect both Republicans defending seats and Democrats looking to gain ground.
Speaking on CNN Tuesday, Enten said recent global and domestic developments have not significantly boosted Trump’s standing with voters. Focusing on net approval ratings, which show the difference between approval and disapproval, he pointed to consistently weak figures across multiple polls.
According to Enten, Trump’s lowest net approval rating in Washington Post polling was minus 25 points in April. The most recent survey placed him at minus 24 points, tied for the second-worst result recorded for him in that dataset.
CNBC’s latest poll found Trump at a net approval rating of minus 19 points, marking a new low for that survey. “When you put it together,” Enten said, “there are a lot of events in the world, but this cake, as we get closer and closer to the midterm elections, is starting to look at least a little bit baked here.”
Enten added that when averaging the CNBC and Washington Post results, Trump’s net approval sits at minus 22 points, which is lower than other second-term presidents at the same stage this century.
For comparison, former President George W. Bush had a net approval rating of minus 20 during the Iraq War, while former President Barack Obama stood at minus 8 at a similar point in his second term.
A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted July 8 through July 13 among 2,648 U.S. adults found Trump with a 37% approval rating and 61% disapproval. On the economy specifically, just 33% approved of his performance.
The survey showed little change from earlier polling, despite several months of major national and international developments. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.
Meanwhile, the CNBC All-America Economic Survey, conducted July 8 through July 12 among 1,000 registered voters, found Trump with a 40% approval rating and 5% disapproval. Economic sentiment remained negative, with 61% of respondents saying they were pessimistic about the economy’s future, which is the highest level recorded by CNBC since December 2023. Just 25% said they felt optimistic.
Trump’s economic approval rating in that survey stood at 38%, compared with 60% disapproval, resulting in a net economic rating of minus 22 points. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Enten also pointed to independent voters as a major factor behind Trump’s overall numbers. According to CNN’s analysis, Trump’s net approval rating among independents is currently minus 45 points. Enten noted that this is lower than comparable figures for former President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal and George W. Bush during the Iraq War.
Nixon previously recorded minus 37 points among independents at a similar stage, while Bush stood at minus 31.
“Donald John Trump, the worst ever rating, net approval rating, with independents at this point in a second term,” Enten said.
