Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News
Joe Yates
Bombshell new approval ratings have revealed exactly what Americans think of President Donald Trump...and it doesn’t look good for the current administration.
Nine months into his second stint in the White House, Trump has been busy reshaping the US government with a flurry of executive orders, policy shifts, and fiery speeches. From tearing up trade arrangements and overhauling immigration to putting pressure on the media, universities, and even the legal system, he’s rarely been out of the spotlight.
But while Trump may see himself as shaking up Washington, many Americans are far from impressed.
Traditionally, presidents kick off their terms with healthy approval numbers. The 79-year-old, however, started both of his terms with the country almost evenly split on his leadership - and both times, the numbers turned sour fast.
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This time, the dissatisfaction isn’t just about the big-ticket issues like inflation and the economy. Even on the topics that defined his rise to power, like immigration and crime, voters are losing faith.
At first, people gave him some credit, his handling of the economy and inflation was seen in a positive light straight after inauguration.
However, that optimism collapsed once his trade war rhetoric spooked investors, and now the numbers show Americans are firmly unimpressed. Immigration, another cornerstone of his campaign, is also dragging down his approval scores, according to new YouGov data.
Breaking the figures down by state the projections reveal cracks even in areas that backed him just months ago - a worrying sign for Republicans heading into midterm elections.
As with past Republican leaders, Trump’s strongest backing comes from white and male voters, while younger Americans and minority groups are among his harshest critics.
All told, the latest approval ratings paint a picture of a president struggling to hold the nation together, although that won't be how Trump sees it.
In fact, just last week he blasted Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum when she pressed him on his administration's dire ratings.
Trump, unfazed, argued that the US's economic rebound is just around the corner, as he responded: “Well, when the factories start opening. I mean, right now, we're building them, you know, Fox polling, I have to tell you - I've told you before - it's the worst polling I've ever had."
He went on to claim that during the 2024 election, they estimated him 'winning by a little bit and not a massive amount', as he added: "I told Rupert Murdoch, go get yourself a new pollster because he stinks."