President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has tanked, according to a recent poll from a GOP-aligned polling firm.
Why It Matters
Trump’s approval rating is a key indicator of his political strength as he navigates his second presidential term and prepares for future policy battles.
A shift in his numbers could influence support from Republican lawmakers, affect his ability to push through his agenda and shape the political landscape heading into the midterm election cycle in 2026.
What To Know
A new poll from a prominent Republican firm shows Trump’s approval rating taking a sharp dive.
According to an Echelon Insights poll conducted between April 10 and 14 among 1,014 likely voters, Trump’s approval rating currently stands at 47 percent, with 51 percent disapproving, giving him a net rating of -4 points.
That is down from a poll conducted in January, which put Trump’s approval rating at 51 percent, with 43 percent disapproving. Both polls had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
Several other Republican pollsters, including Rasmussen and RMG Research, have also shown a dip in Trump’s approval ratings in recent days.
Additionally, the latest TIPP Insights poll, conducted between April 7 and 9 among 1,570 registered voters, showed Trump’s net approval rating 6 points down at -7, with 43 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving. In March, 44 percent approved and 45 percent disapproved. The April poll had a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points.
The newest CBS/YouGov poll, conducted between April 8 and 11 among 2,410 respondents, brought more bad news for Trump. The poll showed 47 percent approve of Trump, down from 50 percent in March, while 53 percent disapprove, up from 50 percent in March. February’s poll showed Trump’s net approval at +2 points. The latest poll had a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points.
Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating saw a much more marginal drop of just 1 point in the latest Harvard-Harris poll, conducted between April 9 and 10 among 2,286 registered voters, with 48 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving. In March, 49 percent approved and 46 percent disapproved.
However, the drop from February was much more significant, when 52 percent said they approved of Trump’s job performance and 43 percent disapproved. The latest poll had a margin of error of +/- 1.9 percentage points.
Newsweek’s tracker has also shown a dip in Trump’s approval rating. With 46 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving, his net approval rating is -5 points. On April 1, Trump’s net approval rating was -2 points, with 47 approving and 49 percent disapproving.
The results were similar in a new poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts between April 4 and 9 among 1,000 adults, which showed 44 percent approve of Trump’s job performance, while 51 percent disapprove. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.
| Poll | Date | Approve | Disapprove |
| Rasmussen | April 14 | 48 | 50 |
| Echelon Insights | April 10-14 | 47 | 51 |
| Harvard-HarrisX | April 9-10 | 48 | 46 |
| CBS/YouGov | April 8-11 | 47 | 53 |
| YouGov | April 7 – 10 | 41 | 54 |
| TIPP | April 7-9 | 43 | 50 |
| Quantus | April 7-9 | 47 | 50 |
| YouGov/Economist | April 5-8 | 43 | 51 |
| University of Massachusetts | April 4-9 | 44 | 51 |
| Harris X | April 4-7 | 47 | 49 |
It comes as Trump has recently struggled in the polls on the economy, which was once a strong topic for the president.
Earlier this month, he announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs, which included a sweeping 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports and harsher duties targeted at what the White House called the “worst offenders” of unfair trade practices.
The April 2 announcement immediately shook financial markets before Trump announced a surprise 90-day pause on most reciprocal tariffs hours after they took effect.
The 10 percent baseline tariff remains in place, and Trump has now raised duties on Chinese imports to 125 percent after Beijing responded with an 84 percent surcharge on U.S. goods. China has now responded in kind with its own 125 percent tariffs.
Despite Trump’s partial pause, the tariffs have driven fears of a potential recession, and the president’s approval ratings have taken a hit.
The CBS/YouGov poll showed that 75 percent of respondents said they think the tariffs will raise prices in the short term, while 48 percent said they believe they will have a long-term impact. The poll also showed that Trump’s approval rating on the economy currently stands at 44 percent, with 56 percent disapproving.
That is compared to March 30, when 58 percent said they approved and 52 percent disapproved, and March 2, when 51 percent approved and 49 percent disapproved.
Trump’s approval rating on his handling of inflation has also taken a big hit. In the most recent poll, 40 percent said they approve, down from 46 percent in early March, and 60 percent said they disapprove, up from 54 percent in early March.
Echelon’s poll showed the same trend, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 44 percent approved. That is down from March, when 47 percent approved and 49 percent disapproved. On the issue of tariffs, 40 percent said they approved, while 55 percent disapproved. In March, 41 percent approved and 51 disapproved.
In the latest poll, 70 percent said they were very or somewhat concerned about Trump’s tariffs. Only 27 percent said they were either a little concerned or not concerned at all.
How Trump’s Approval Rating Compares to Joe Biden’s
Trump’s 45 percent approval rating is lower than former President Joe Biden‘s popularity at the same point in his presidency. On April 15, 2021, Biden stood at 54 percent, with a disapproval rating of 41 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Polls released in the days after Trump’s inauguration showed his popularity at an all-time high. However, he was still the least popular president in recent times.
According to Gallup’s first poll of Trump’s second term, conducted between January 21 and 27, his initial approval rating was 47 percent. The pollster said the figure made him less popular than any president since 1953 at the start of a term and the only one to begin with a sub-50 percent approval rating. Gallup said Biden started to his first term with a 57 percent approval rating.
How Trump’s Approval Rating Compares to First Term
The RealClearPolitics tracker showed that on April 15, 2017, Trump’s approval rating was 41 percent, while his disapproval rating was 52 percent, giving him a net approval rating of -11 points—making Trump more popular now than at the same point in his first stint in the Oval Office.
What Happens Next
Trump’s approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of key events, including critical negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war, the evolving tariff situation and concerns about a recession.
