Trump's Poll Numbers Hit a New Low — And He's Not Changing Course

New polls show that President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to one of the lowest points of his presidency. Several major surveys found that only about one-third of Americans approve of the job he is doing. The low numbers come as the United States is involved in a war with Iran and gas prices remain high — two issues that are hurting Trump politically.

When the bad poll results came out, Trump did not admit they were true. Instead, he posted on social media in all capital letters, saying his numbers were the highest they had ever been. He also called polls 'dishonest' and claimed his approval rating was as high as 65%, without pointing to any real survey that showed this. Most independent pollsters say those claims simply don't match the data.

The latest polls tell a very different story. CNN's poll showed Trump at 34% approval, tying his lowest point right after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. A poll by AP-NORC put him at 33%, and Quinnipiac University's poll showed just 32% — an all-time low in that survey. The only modern president with worse numbers at this stage was Richard Nixon, who sat at 24% just before he resigned over the Watergate scandal.

To understand how low these numbers are, it helps to compare them to past presidents at the same point in their second terms. Bill Clinton had 64% approval, Ronald Reagan had 61%, and Dwight Eisenhower had 58%. Even presidents who struggled — like Barack Obama at 43% and George W. Bush at 37% — were well ahead of where Trump stands now. Those presidents also saw their parties lose seats in midterm elections.

A midterm election is coming up this November, just three months away. Republicans fear that Trump's low poll numbers could lead to a 'Democratic wave,' where Democrats win many seats in Congress. If that happened, Democrats might take control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. That would make it much harder for Trump to pass his agenda.

Most presidents who see numbers this low would make big changes — firing staffers, writing new speeches, or shifting policies. But Trump has never governed like a typical president, and Republican strategist Douglas Heye says he doesn't expect any change in approach. 'He's always going to project strength regardless what the numbers are and he'll say they're fake anyway,' Heye said. 'Short of him screaming and throwing something at a staffer, that's it.'

Trump is facing trouble on many issues at once, including the economy, immigration, and the Iran war. The Iran war is especially unpopular — it is the first U.S. war in modern polling history where more Americans opposed it from the very beginning. Now, two out of every three voters say they are against it. These are serious warning signs heading into an election.

Some experts say the low numbers don't tell the whole story, because American politics has changed. Voting district lines have been redrawn in ways that protect many Republicans from losing their seats, even when the party is broadly unpopular. Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson also noted that deep political polarization means approval ratings in the low 30s are less damaging than they once were. Still, she warned: 'You're not just cutting loose swing voters at that point.'

The White House did not respond to questions about the polls, but a spokesperson said Trump 'has accomplished more for hardworking Americans than any other president in history.' Trump has continued to act as if he is very popular, pursuing projects like a new White House ballroom and a triumphal arch. Critics argue these are distractions from the issues voters actually care about, like prices and the war.

Despite the gloomy numbers, many observers note that Trump has survived bad polls before. He has a strong hold over his Republican base and has shown he can punish lawmakers who go against him in primary elections. Strategist Douglas Heye described Trump's attitude simply: 'He is YOLO' — You Only Live Once — someone who keeps moving forward no matter what the polls say.