Staggering amount of Americans who believe US is 'on the wrong track' revealed

A new poll has offered a snapshot of how Americans feel about the direction of the country, with a clear majority of respondents saying they believe the US is headed the wrong way.

The latest figures from YouGov's 'Direction of the United States' tracker show that 64.4 percent of respondents said the country is 'off track,' while 29.8 percent said it is moving in the right direction.

The figures come with the 2026 midterm elections approaching, putting renewed attention on public sentiment and how voters view the country under President Donald Trump.

YouGov's tracker is a weekly survey of US registered voters, with between 677 and 4,171 respondents included in each wave depending on the question and period being measured.

The polling organization asks participants whether they think things in the country are generally headed in the right direction, off on the wrong track, or whether they are not sure.

The latest YouGov tracker asked registered voters about the direction of the United States. (Photo by Craig Hudson For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

What does the latest YouGov poll say about the US?

The newest figures point to substantially more respondents describing the country's direction negatively than positively.

According to the data supplied for the August 26 update, 64.4 percent said the US is 'off track,' compared with 29.8 percent who said it is headed in the right direction.

A smaller share selected 'not sure.'

The published YouGov tracker confirms that the question is asked of US registered voters and is updated weekly, allowing responses to be followed over time rather than representing a single standalone poll.

The numbers arrive during a politically consequential period, with November's midterm elections on the horizon and voters preparing to decide which party will control Congress.

Other recent polling has also been examining Americans' views of the economy, President Trump and the political landscape ahead of the elections. YouGov's current polling hub, for example, lists recent research covering Trump's approval rating and congressional voting intentions.

According to Forbes, Donald Trump’s job approval rating sits at a record low, averaging between 31% and 38% as of late August 2026.

His net approval rating is deeply negative, tracking at roughly -19.5 to -26 percentage points due to rising public dissatisfaction over the ongoing war in Iran, trade conflicts and escalating gas prices.

The YouGov figures were released ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections. (Brogan Jackson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

How do Americans feel about the country ahead of the midterms?

The latest 'direction' figures do not ask respondents to choose a political party or candidate. Instead, the question focuses on their broader perception of where the country is heading.

That distinction means the tracker does not, by itself, establish how respondents intend to vote in November.

It simply records whether they believe the US is moving in the right direction, heading down the wrong track, or whether they are uncertain.

According to Polymarket, current polling for the 2026 midterm elections shows Democrats holding a clear advantage on the generic congressional ballot, putting them in a strong position to retake the House of Representatives, while the battle for the Senate remains highly competitive.

The survey also forms part of a much broader set of political polling being conducted as the midterms approach.

YouGov currently describes the tracker as a weekly measure based on US registered voters, with sample sizes varying between waves.

The organization also provides methodology and crosstab information alongside the tracker.