Trump’s Approval Ratings Decline Significantly in Second Term, Despite Claims of Record Popularity

President Donald Trump’s recent assertions about his popularity among Americans stand in stark contrast to polling data, which reveals a marked decline in his approval ratings since the beginning of his second term.

During a Tuesday press conference, Trump correctly acknowledged constitutional limitations on seeking a third presidential term, stating, “If you read it, it’s pretty clear I’m not allowed to run.” However, his subsequent claims about his popularity – “I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had” and “I have the best numbers for any president in many years” – diverge significantly from current polling data.

Multiple polling averages indicate Trump’s approval ratings have dropped considerably since January. The New York Times polling average placed Trump’s net approval at negative 11 points as of Tuesday, with 43% approval and 54% disapproval. This represents a dramatic 20-point net decline from the first week of his term, when he enjoyed a positive 9-point rating (52% approval, 43% disapproval).

CNN’s Poll of Polls average, updated Wednesday, shows similar trends, with Trump’s net approval at negative 15 points (41% approval, 56% disapproval) – a 14-point net decline since early February.

Other independent polling aggregators reflect this downward trajectory. G. Elliott Morris, co-founder of FiftyPlusOne.news, calculated Trump’s net approval at approximately negative 14 points, representing a substantial 26-point net decline since the term began. Data journalist Nate Silver’s average showed Trump at negative 10 points, down 22 net points from January.

While Trump maintains strong support among Republicans – often around 90% – this doesn’t align with his claim of reaching his personal highest poll numbers, nor does it reflect his standing with the American electorate as a whole. The White House did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on these discrepancies.

Trump’s assertion about having “the best numbers for any president in many years” is contradicted by historical polling data. His current approval ratings in the low 40s fall significantly short of the peaks achieved by his predecessors. President Barack Obama reached 69% approval early in his first term, while President George W. Bush soared to 90% following the September 11 attacks. Even President Joe Biden, who faced persistent approval challenges throughout his presidency, achieved 57% approval in both January and April of 2021.

The claim remains inaccurate even when comparing presidents at equivalent points in their terms. On the day Trump made his statement with approximately negative 10-point net approval, Silver’s historical tracking shows dramatically better numbers for his post-World War II predecessors on equivalent dates in their first terms: Obama (positive 9), George W. Bush (positive 76), Bill Clinton (positive 2), George H.W. Bush (positive 38), Ronald Reagan (positive 20), Jimmy Carter (positive 24), Richard Nixon (positive 27), John F. Kennedy (positive 65), Dwight D. Eisenhower (positive 45), and Harry Truman (positive 41).

Considering Trump’s current tenure as a non-consecutive second term doesn’t strengthen his claim. According to Gallup’s quarterly presidential approval assessments, Trump’s ratings in the third quarter of his second term (July 20 through October 19) were lower than any two-term president since the 1950s, with the exception of Nixon.

These polling trends highlight a significant gap between the president’s characterization of his popularity and the measurable public sentiment as captured by diverse and established polling organizations across the country.