Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Reaches a New Low – U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has reached a record low, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll.
The President’s approval stands at 33%, with 66% of Americans disapproving of his performance in office. More than half (52%) strongly disapproved of the President’s tenure so far.
Donald Trump Speaking at CPAC. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Donald Trump in 2021. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Compared to the previous comparable poll, Trump’s approval has fallen by four percentage points since July. Compared to this point last year, his approval rating is eight percentage points lower. It also marks the President’s lowest approval rating in any Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll, including his first term, when only 38% approved of his performance.
Good News for the Democrats
With the midterm elections only a fortnight away, the poll brings yet more good news for the Democratic Party. For the first time in more than a decade, the poll found that Democrats are seen as more trustworthy on the economy than the Republican Party.
The Democrats lead the polls for the House of Representatives, with 52% of likely voters leaning toward the party compared with 44% for the GOP. Democrats also lead among registered voters (50-42%), those certain to vote or who have already voted (56-43%), and those who voted in the last two congressional ballots (51-47%).
Part of the problem for President Trump is his own unpopularity. On whether voters would prefer an opposing Democratic-led Congress or a Trump-supporting Republican one, registered voters strongly favored the former, 58% to 39%. That margin is almost double what it was one year ago.
The Trump troubles continue for the Republicans, with 72% – largely over his decision to go to war with Iran and the subsequent knock-on effect on everyday prices – of Americans believing the country is heading in the wrong direction. That’s a five-percentage-point rise since April.
Republican Efforts
Although the poll didn’t go far enough to predict specific House or Senate races, it clearly shows the Republican strategy: defend seats rather than capitalize on weaker Democratic candidates.
The GOP maintains a monetary advantage, allowing it to pump more money into the campaign and limit Democrats’ momentum. Increasingly, however, the GOP is diverting this money to states such as Texas, where it has traditionally held a strong advantage.
Voter Turnout
Perhaps the biggest unknown variable now is whether those who say they will vote on Tuesday, 3rd November, actually do. Among those who say they will certainly be voting, the Democrats hold a strong lead. Nevertheless, the Republican deficit is smaller among those who have voted in 2022 and 2024.
Registered Democrats say they are more certain to vote, or have already done so, than Republicans by an eight-percentage-point margin. 75% of MAGA Republicans say they will cast their ballot, but only 57% of GOP voters who are not Trump loyalists plan to do so. Conversely, 79% of Democrats who support the Democratic Socialists of America will certainly vote, according to the poll, compared with 73% of non-socialist Democrats.
Economic Struggles
The economy is always a key issue for voters, and that’s bad news for the GOP ahead of next month’s vote. Economic approval of Trump’s administration is down to 28% — his lowest ever as President of the United States. By comparison, Trump’s economic approval rating was at 33% in July, 41% in February, and 49% just before the 2018 midterm elections.
Three-quarters of Americans said the economy is either not so good or poor, while a slim majority of Republicans (53%) believed the economy was at least good. Interestingly, 54% of Democrats held the same view of President Joe Biden just before the 2022 midterm elections.
Almost half (48%) of respondents said they felt financially worse off than when Trump returned to the White House in January 2022, the highest figure of any comparable poll since 1986. Democrat voters and independents reported the greatest economic strain, at 78% and 71%, respectively.
The poll was conducted online from Friday, 9th October, to Tuesday, 13th October. The poll surveyed 2,545 U.S. adults, with results within a margin of error of +/- 2%. Among the 2,032 registered adults polled, the margin of error is +/- 2.2%.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
