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President Donald Trump‘s approval rating among men hit an all-time low, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll that found his overall approval rating remains deeply underwater.
The survey found Trump’s net approval rating among men stands at -22, the lowest level recorded among male voters in either his first or second term. Male voters have traditionally been one of Trump’s strongest demographic groups and were considered central to his 2024 electoral coalition.
Overall, 36 percent of Americans said they approve of Trump’s job performance compared with 60 percent who disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of -24.
According to YouGov, that is below the lowest net approval Trump recorded during his first term and lower than former President Joe Biden’s lowest rating while in office.
The poll also found Democrats hold a five-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, suggesting Trump’s declining standing could present challenges for Republicans as they head toward the 2026 midterm elections.
An overall net approval rating of -24 places the president in politically difficult territory ahead of the 2026 midterms. Barack Obama entered the 2014 midterm cycle with approval ratings in the low-to-mid 40s before the Democrats lost control of the Senate, while George W. Bush was in the high 30s ahead of the 2006 midterms where Republicans lost control of Congress.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
How Americans Describe Donald Trump
When asked which words best described Trump from a list of positive and negative traits, respondents were more likely to select negative terms.
A majority, 52 percent, said “dangerous” describes Trump, while 49 percent said he is “corrupt.” Forty-five percent selected “racist” and the same share chose “out-of-touch.”
Among positive attributes, “bold” was the most commonly selected, with 43 percent saying it describes the president. Smaller shares chose “strong” (36 percent), “intelligent” (32 percent), “effective” (30 percent), “honest” (24 percent), “steady” (18 percent), and “inspiring” (17 percent).
The results underscored the nation’s partisan divide. While 86 percent of Democrats said Trump is dangerous, only 12 percent of Republicans agreed. Conversely, 76 percent of Republicans described Trump as strong, compared with 6 percent of Democrats.
Americans Give Trump Negative Marks on Crime and Other Issues
The poll found Americans were more likely to disapprove than approve of Trump’s handling of several major issues.
On crime, 41 percent approved of Trump’s performance while 49 percent disapproved, giving him a net approval rating of -8. That represents a sharp decline from the start of his second term, when he held a positive net rating of +12 on the issue.
The survey also found deterioration in public perceptions of some of Trump’s personal attributes. A majority of respondents, 52 percent, said Trump is too old to be president, while 37 percent disagreed. In December, Americans were evenly divided on the question, with 45 percent saying he was too old and 45 percent saying he was not.
Sixty percent said Trump is not honest and trustworthy, while 58 percent said he lacks the temperament to be president. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, 62 percent, said Trump does not care much or at all about people like them.
Democrats Lead Republicans in Generic House Ballot
The poll also suggested Democrats currently hold an advantage in congressional voting preferences.
Among registered voters asked whether they would back an unnamed Democratic or Republican candidate for the House of Representatives, 46 percent chose the Democrat and 41 percent chose the Republican, a Democratic lead of five percentage points.
The Democratic advantage on the generic congressional ballot comes as Trump’s overall net approval rating sits below the lowest level recorded during his first presidency and below Biden’s lowest rating while in office, according to YouGov.
Methodology: The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted online between July 17 and July 20, 2026, among a weighted sample of 1,689 U.S. adult citizens drawn from YouGov’s opt-in panel. The data were weighted to reflect the U.S. adult population by demographics, voter registration, party identification and past voting behavior. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points for adults and plus or minus 3.2 percentage points among registered voters.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
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