President Trump Faces Historic Approval Collapse as Midterms Near
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Recent polling shows President Donald Trump sinking to roughly 31% approval, the worst level for any U.S. president since 1946, as the 2026 midterm elections draw close and Democrats gain ground.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating is hovering near 31%, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday, underscoring the deep public backlash to his presidency and marking the lowest level recorded for a U.S. president since Harry Truman’s 33% rating in 1946. A New York Times/Siena poll issued this week reported a 32% approval rating, while a CNN/SSRS poll and an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll placed it at 32% and 33% respectively. A Fox News poll also recorded a 36% rating for Trump’s job performance, the lowest in that survey’s history.
The declining numbers come less than two weeks before the midterm elections, highlighting the growing political strain on Trump and his party. The Times/Siena poll showed Democrats holding an 11-point advantage on a generic congressional ballot, while the Democratic Party’s overall approval stood at 28% compared with 36% for the Republican Party.
Members of the administration have downplayed the significance of the polls. > Vice President JD Vance told reporters that surveys can be “demotivating” for GOP voters and that the “only poll that matters is Election Day on Nov. 3.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing “Fake Polls and Suppression Polls,” citing a “significant surge” in such content.
President Trump told Newsmax that polls showing Democratic advantages are “rigged” and suggested they are intended to discourage his supporters from voting. His pollster, John McLaughlin, relayed Trump’s comment that larger projected losses could suppress voter turnout.
Analysts note that while Trump’s favorability has slipped, the Republican Party’s overall approval remains higher than that of the Democratic Party, according to the same surveys.