President Donald Trump is at the weakest point of his second term, polling data has shown, with erosion across overall job approval rating, economic trust, the congressional ballot, and key voter groups he needs to retain power.
A wave of national polls in March and April show the president hitting or matching second‑term lows in approval while Democrats gain ground on core electoral metrics.
These shifts are occurring as voters reassess Trump’s economic and foreign policy record ahead of this year’s midterms in November.
Independent voters, younger Americans, and marginal Republican supporters are showing signs of disengagement that could reshape congressional control.
“The ultimate poll was November 5th, 2024 when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in a statement. “The President is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, and increase housing affordability—and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect.”
Why It Matters
Presidential approval does not determine elections on its own, but sustained declines—especially across multiple polling firms and voter groups—often signal bigger structural risks for the party in power.
1. Weak Numbers Settle in for Trump
Trump’s national approval rating has fallen to its lowest level of his second term, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos presidential approval tracker.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll that was conducted between April 15-20 found 36 percent of Americans approving of Trump’s job performance and 62 percent disapproving, producing a net approval rating of -26.
The online survey of 4,557 U.S. adults nationwide had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
That figure matches a second‑term low first recorded in a separate Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between March 20–23.
Rather than rebounding, Trump’s approval has plateaued at this lower level.
Net approval has steadily declined from +6 in January 2025 to -26 by March and April 2026, marking a clear downward trajectory over 15 months.
Reuters attributed the sustained weakness to economic dissatisfaction and opposition to the Iran war.
In the March Reuters/Ipsos poll, 63 percent of Americans described the economy as “somewhat weak” or “very weak,” including 40 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of independents, and 84 percent of Democrats.
“This provides a huge opportunity for Democrats to make major strides in the midterms by focusing on issues that are traditionally more Republican issues, like national security, the economy and immigration,” Democratic strategist Doug Farrar told Reuters.
At the same time, the polling shows vulnerability rather than wholesale realignment.
In the same survey, 38 percent of registered voters said Republicans were better stewards of the economy, compared with 34 percent who chose Democrats, while Republicans retained advantages on immigration and crime.
Other National Trackers Tell Same Story
Trump’s weakness is not confined to a single polling firm. Aggregated trackers across ideological and methodological lines are converging on the same conclusion.
According to Nate Silver’s national approval tracker, Trump stood this week at 39 percent approval and 57.8 percent disapproval, yielding a net approval rating of -18.8, the lowest of his second term.
“We’ve seen tons of polls released this week, and none of them have been good for Donald Trump,” the Silver Bulletin wrote on X.
Eli McKown‑Dawson, senior elections analyst at Silver Bulletin, noted on Thursday firms including Reuters/Ipsos and AP‑NORC show Trump at a second‑term low, while CNBC polling finds him less popular than at any point in either his first or second terms.
Across the Silver Bulletin average, 39 percent approve and 57.7 percent disapprove, with Trump’s rating on inflation and the cost of living falling to net -40, a new low.
Other trackers align closely. CNN’s poll‑of‑polls places Trump at 37 percent approval and 62 percent disapproval, net -25, while The Economist’s tracker reports 38 percent approve, 56 percent disapprove, and 7 percent unsure, for a net approval of -17.
The consistency across trackers matters since individual polls can move on noise while averages move when the underlying picture changes.
2. Voters Now Trust Democrats More on the Economy
One of the most politically consequential shifts appears on an issue Trump once treated as safe territory.
A Fox News national poll conducted April 17–20, under joint direction of Beacon Research (Democratic) and Shaw & Company Research (Republican), surveyed registered voters by phone and online. The poll carried a plus or minus 3‑point margin of error.
When asked which party they trust more to handle the economy, 52 percent chose Democrats, compared with 48 percent for Republicans.
According to Fox News polling records, this marks the first time since May 2010 that Democrats have led Republicans on economic trust.
The result cuts directly against Trump’s political identity. Throughout his campaigns and presidencies, he has styled himself as a reliable steward of economic growth, affordability, and voter pocketbook concerns.
Losing that edge—especially amid ongoing inflation anxiety—undermines one of the core pillars of his appeal.
In the same Fox News poll, Trump’s personal approval stood at 42 percent approve and 58 percent disapprove, a net -16.
3. Democrats Maintain Consistent Edge on Congressional Ballot
National mood is also showing up in vote intention.
According to YouGov’s weekly congressional ballot tracker, Democrats have led Republicans in every wave since the start of Trump’s second term.
Respondents were asked: “If an election for U.S. Congress were being held today, who would you vote for in the district where you live?”
YouGov surveys between 1,065 and 2,998 registered voters per wave using consistent methodology and weighting, publishing toplines and crosstabs for transparency.
From February 2025 through April 2026, Democrats have typically held a 2‑ to 7‑point advantage, including 45 percent to 40 percent in the most recent April 20 wave.
While generic ballots fluctuate, sustained leads of this size historically place the president’s party at risk—particularly when paired with declining approval.
4. Trump Is Losing Ground With Voters He Needs
Polling also shows sharp declines among groups that once gave Trump room to maneuver.
According to Verasight/Strength in Numbers, a January 14–20, 2026 survey of 1,532 U.S. adults, weighted to Current Population Survey (CPS) and Pew NPORS benchmarks and carrying a plus or minus 2.5‑point margin of error, found Trump at -32 net approval among Gen Z voters, -34 among independents, and +64 among Republicans.
The follow‑up poll conducted April 10–14, among 1,514 adults, with a plus or minus 2.6‑point margin of error, showed deterioration.
Gen Z voters registered -54 net approval, independents -44, and Republicans +58, while overall net approval fell to -26.
“It comes back to what Trump promised these groups,” Ben Leff, CEO and co‑founder of Verasight, told Newsweek. “Particularly Gen Z Americans were concerned about inflation, prices and avoiding new wars, and I think a lot of them feel betrayed on both those issues.”
While Leff cautioned that declining approval does not imply widespread party switching, he warned erosion within the base often shows up first as lower turnout, a dynamic that can leave down‑ballot Republicans exposed in midterm elections.
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