President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has climbed to 59 percent in a New York Times/Siena College poll—his worst showing yet in the survey as Republicans head toward the 2026 midterm elections.
Nearly half of voters said they now “strongly disapprove” of Trump’s performance, highlighting deepening frustration over the economy, inflation and the broader direction of the country.
The findings add to a growing body of polling showing Trump politically underwater nationwide as pressure mounts on Republicans defending congressional seats in November.
Trump Hits Worst NYT/Siena Numbers Yet
In that sample, a total of 59 percent of voters said they disapproved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 37 percent who approved, a net approval of minus 22 points.
In the chart below, approval and disapproval figures combine both “strongly” and “somewhat” responses—meaning the headline ratings reflect overall sentiment rather than intensity alone.
The survey of 1,507 registered voters was conducted between May 11 and May 15 using live telephone interviews in English and Spanish. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
What Polling Averages Say
Broader polling averages reinforce the picture seen in the Times/Siena data.
The New York Times polling aggregate also puts Trump at 59 percent disapproval and around 38 percent approval, closely mirroring the latest single survey.
CNN’s “poll of polls,” which combines several recent national surveys of U.S. adults, shows a similar balance, with roughly 38 percent approving and 62 percent disapproving of the president’s performance, giving a net rating of -22.
Analyst Nate Silver’s polling average points to a continued downward trajectory.
Trump’s net approval has slipped to around minus 20 in the aggregate, compared with minus 19 one week earlier and minus 18.6 the week before that, indicating a slow but steady deterioration rather than short-term volatility.
The aggregated data suggests the current numbers are not an outlier but part of a sustained pattern across pollsters, methodologies and samples.
Strong Disapproval Nears 50 Percent
A total of 49 percent of respondents said they strongly disapprove, while just 23 percent said they strongly approve.
Another 14 percent said they somewhat approve, against 10 percent who somewhat disapprove.
That split matters politically. Strong disapproval tends to be more closely tied to turnout and vote choice, suggesting not just dissatisfaction but a hardened opposition.
Trend data from prior Times/Siena surveys, reflected in the chart above, shows that movement has been gradual but consistent.
Strong disapproval has ticked up from 45 percent in April 2025 to 49 percent currently, while the combined approval share has slipped from the low‑40s into the high‑30s.
Earlier snapshots show Trump at 40 percent approval and 57 percent disapproval in January 2026, and closer to parity during parts of the 2020 cycle.
Why It Matters
Trump’s standing has deteriorated steadily over the course of his second term, with once-net positive approval now firmly underwater across most national surveys.
That leaves Republicans navigating a midterm cycle where the president’s political position could shape turnout, messaging and marginal races nationwide
White House Response
The White House has pushed back on the significance of the polling, pointing instead to Trump’s 2024 election victory as the clearest measure of public support.
Spokesperson Davis Ingle said the administration views that result—when roughly 80 million Americans voted for Trump—as the defining verdict on its agenda and direction.
Ingle argued the White House remains focused on core economic priorities, including jobs, inflation and housing affordability, and described Trump’s record as historically significant.
He added that officials expect the impact of those policies to grow over time, framing current conditions as an early phase of a longer-term economic plan.
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