As President Donald Trump approaches 100 days into his second term, his favorability ratings are slipping even further.
A series of new polls paints a complicated and often troubling picture for the president. Trump’s approval ratings have slipped across key issues like the economy, immigration, and his handling of diversity initiatives, with majorities disapproving of his performance.
Yet despite these vulnerabilities, Democrats aren’t necessarily reaping the benefits. Public trust in the Democratic Party remains low, and many Americans still view Trump as better equipped than congressional Democrats to handle the country’s major challenges.
Here’s a closer look at Trump’s current standing with voters, including his most loyal supporters.
What is Trump’s overall approval rating?
Trump’s overall approval rating has declined from its early-term high.
Separate polls from NBC and CBS show 45 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, while 55 percent disapprove.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Sunday similarly found that Trump’s approval has slipped in just the past two months. In that survey, 39 percent of adults approve of the way Trump is handling his job, compared to 55 percent who disapprove, including 44 percent who disapprove strongly. In February, 45 percent approved and 53 percent disapproved. Despite the decline in approval, Trump’s supporters don’t appear to have buyer’s remorse: Only 6 percent now regret their vote, while 94 percent still believe it was the right decision.
Other surveys found even weaker support: A new CNN poll conducted by SSRS reports that just 22 percent strongly approve of Trump’s performance, a record low, while 45 percent strongly disapprove.
Where does Trump stand with voters on the economy?
Americans’ confidence in Trump has declined since he took office in January, especially on economic issues.
An NBC survey found that just 40 percent approve of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living. Meanwhile, a CBS poll shows that many believe he is placing too much emphasis on tariffs: 53 percent of voters think the U.S. economy is getting worse, compared to 28 percent who think it’s improving.
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 61 percent disapproved of his handling of the economy, while 39 percent approved of it. Amid Trump’s promise of an economic turnaround, 72 percent said they think it’s very or somewhat likely that his economic policies will cause a recession in the short term, including 51 percent of Republicans. What’s more, 43 percent of non-college-educated white men, who make up a key part of his political coalition, said the nation’s economy has worsened under Trump, and one-third said they have gotten less well-off financially since he’s taken office.
CNN polling also shows a new low for Trump on the economy, with just 39 percent approving of his performance. Only about half of Americans (52 percent) express confidence in his ability to manage the economy — down 13 points from a CNN poll conducted in December.
What about other key issues like immigration?
Immigration remains one of Trump’s most controversial issues.
The NBC poll found voters were sharply divided on his handling of border security and immigration, with 49 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving.
A CBS poll showed an identical split: 49 percent approved and 51 percent disapproved of his immigration policies. At the same time, 64 percent said Trump’s new policies have reduced migrant crossings, and most continue to support his deportation efforts in general. (In March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said there were 7,287 illegal border crossings during President Trump’s first week in office — a 60 percent drop compared to President Biden’s last seven days in the White House. Experts say these are due to a variety of factors.)
However, public support fades when mistakes are involved — three-quarters said it would be unacceptable if legal residents were mistakenly detained, and eight in 10 said it would be unacceptable if legal residents were wrongly deported. (MAGA Republicans stand apart here, about twice as likely as other Americans to say such outcomes would be acceptable.)
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found the highest disapproval rate yet, with 53 percent opposing Trump’s handling of immigration and 46 percent approving.
And how about his handling of the federal government?
Taken together, the polls show that most Americans view Trump’s approach to diversity and government reform as excessive and risky.
According to NBC, 44 percent approve of Trump’s efforts on DEI, while 56 percent disapprove.
The CBS survey found even less support: 43 percent believe Trump is focusing too much on DEI, compared to 39 percent who think he’s spent about the right amount of time on the issue.
Similarly, the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that a narrow majority (51 percent) think Trump has gone too far in trying to end diversity efforts in government and private workplaces, while 31 percent say he’s handling it appropriately.
CNN asked a broader question about Trump’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce: Less than half (43 percent) see his actions as a necessary shake-up in Washington, while a majority (57 percent) say his approach is unnecessarily putting the country at risk.
Is the disapproval of Trump good for the Democrats?
Despite the negative findings about Trump’s actions, some of the polls offer little comfort for his opponents.
According to the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, Americans still trust Trump more than congressional Democrats to handle the country’s major problems, 37 percent to 30 percent.
And while 60 percent say Trump is out of touch with the concerns of most Americans, an even larger share — 69 percent — say the same about the Democratic Party.
For now, Americans seem caught between dissatisfaction with Trump — and even deeper doubts about the Democrats.
