Donald Trump Disapproval Rating Hits Record High

Newsweek

15 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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President Donald Trump's disapproval rating has hit a record high for his second term, according to a new poll.
The survey by The Economist/YouGov, conducted between July 11 and 14, found that 55 percent of respondents disapprove of Trump's job performance, while 41 percent approve.
The poll was conducted on 1,680 adult citizens, and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.
President Donald Trump speaking in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump speaking in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Evan Vucci/AP
Why It Matters
The decline comes amid backlash to the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The White House had initially ordered a review of the case and said it would publish names and evidence about associates of Epstein, a wealthy financier who died by suicide in jail in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges.
However, a recent memo from the Department of Justice and the FBI stated that there was no "client list," and no further charges would be brought.
The poll revealed that 79 percent of respondents believe that the government should release all the documents it has about the Epstein case. Meanwhile, it also revealed that two-thirds of Americans think the government is currently covering up evidence.
A sustained polling backlash could affect Trump's reputation and the Republican Party more generally ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
What To Know
The poll by The Economist/YouGov revealed that Trump's net approval rating has fallen to -14 points.
This is close to Trump's lowest-ever net approval rating recorded by the pollster for both his first and second term, which was -21 points in November 2017.
The pollster said that Trump's slump arises largely from a drop in support among Democrats and Independents.
Trump's approval rating among Democrats has fallen from 12 percent at the start of his second term to only three percent today. Meanwhile, support among Independents has fallen from 41 percent to 29 percent.
However, the share of Republicans who approve of Trump's performance has remained largely the same, falling from 94 percent at the start of his second term to 92 percent now.
What People Are Saying
Mark Shanahan, associate professor of political engagement at the University of Surrey, told Newsweek: "The Epstein backlash has the power to hurt Trump badly and will be far and away the largest factor in his latest polling slip."
He added: "In terms of other factors affecting his approval, his continual flip-flopping over tariffs is not playing well. More and more voters are realizing that tariffs on import affect them with rising prices and falling consumer choice for goods made outside the US. Many of these goods can't be replaced by home-produced products in the short term or, quite often, at all. So the realization for many is that America First comes with consequences to their wallets. That does not play well when a pollster gets in touch."
What Happens Next
The backlash over the Epstein memo is likely to continue and may cause Trump's polling numbers to fluctuate further over the coming days.
The extent to which Trump commands the support of the American people will be tested when voters head to the polls for the midterm elections in November 2026.