President Donald Trump is facing a faster-than-ever decline in approval ratings, dropping more rapidly during his second term than he did in his first, according to new polling data.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey revealed that Trump hit his previous first-term low just two days sooner in his current administration. On April 21, his approval rating dropped to 42%, down from 47% on Inauguration Day in January. Back in 2017, it took until April 23 for him to reach a similar low—marking a quicker erosion of public support this time around.
This matters not just for optics but also for political strategy. Trump’s approval rating is a critical measure of his influence with voters and could heavily sway the outcome of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. A continued dip could pose serious challenges for Republican candidates who are banking on his support.
At the heart of the decline are controversial policy moves. Since returning to the White House, Trump has issued sweeping executive orders and revived tariffs on foreign imports, which were briefly paused. These decisions have sparked mixed reactions, even within his own party. A CNBC poll conducted in April among 1,000 Americans found that just 43% approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 55% disapproved—marking the first time CNBC recorded a net negative for the president on economic performance.
Other surveys echo the trend. RMG Research found Trump’s approval rating dropped from 49% to 48% in one week, with disapproval climbing from 48% to 51%, giving him a net negative rating in their polling for the first time.
Experts are pointing to Trump’s headline policy—the reintroduction of steep tariffs—as a likely cause of the slump. Heath Brown, a public policy professor at the City University of New York, told Newsweek that the move is “unpopular with many Americans, including nearly half of Republicans who think it will harm the U.S. economy in the near term.”
The speed and severity of this approval dip, especially compared to President Biden’s 14-month slide to a similar low during his term, highlight just how volatile public opinion around Trump has become. As polling continues to shift, all eyes are now on how the former—and current—president navigates the political headwinds ahead.
