Featured Image Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty
Topics: Donald Trump, Republicans
Ben Williams
President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have landed, and the numbers don’t exactly scream landslide victory. The 79-year-old, now eight months into his second term, has found himself staring down some of the lowest presidential scores in modern US history — and the comparisons to past leaders make for staggering reading.
The latest national poll from Gallup puts Trump at 40 per cent approval, and 56 per cent disapproval. That’s a far cry from the presidential average of 52 percent recorded since 1938. Even by Trump’s own standards, things haven’t shifted much: his first term averaged 41 percent, and his current second-term average sits at just 42 percent. His peak this year was 47 percent back in January, while July saw him slump to a low of 37 percent.
What makes the data even more striking is how sharply opinion splits down party lines. Among Republicans, Trump still commands near-total loyalty with 93 percent backing him.
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Independents, however, have drifted, with only 35 percent approving, while a tiny 1 percent of Democrats give him the thumbs up.
Zooming in on state-level figures paints an even messier picture. According to Morning Consult’s September update, Trump holds a positive approval rating in just 25 states, down from 27 the previous month. North Carolina and Nevada, which once leaned his way, have flipped to net negative. Georgia stands alone as the only 2024 swing state still in his corner, while Arizona balances precariously at zero.
Tennessee currently gives Trump one of his strongest ratings, with 58 percent approval and 38 percent disapproval, landing it as his sixth-best state. That’s handy for him, given it’s also where he recently announced plans to send the National Guard as part of his latest crime crackdown. Over in Illinois, however, just 41 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove.
Overall, Wyoming leads the pack with 62 percent of voters backing Trump, followed by Idaho, West Virginia, and South Dakota, where 60 percent say he’s doing a good job. But it’s not all red carpet treatment; in Vermont, a staggering 36-point gap separates approval from disapproval, one of the worst ratings in the country.
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Compared to past presidents, Trump’s August scores look especially bleak, according to findings by USA Today.
Barack Obama pulled in 53 percent at the same point in 2009, George W. Bush 56 percent in 2001, and Ronald Reagan an impressive 60 percent in 1981. Even Jimmy Carter, often cited for his struggles, was at 63 percent back in 1977. Trump, meanwhile, stood at 36 percent in 2017 and just 40 percent this August — lower than any modern president at the equivalent stage of their term.
For a president who thrives on defying expectations, Trump’s numbers show a new, starker reality. While the 45th and 47th President of the United States might dominate the Republican base, in the wider national picture, their approval remains stubbornly stuck at the bottom of the historical ladder.
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On the other hand, Trump and his administration are known for shrugging off cold, hard facts and simply charging ahead. Nevertheless, this will surely add to the latest round of metaphorical ammunition to be used by his political opponents.