Donald Trump is more popular now than he was at the same point in his first term, according to new polling.
Why It Matters
Donald Trump’s increased popularity at this stage in his political career is significant because it demonstrates his resilience and appeal, despite facing numerous challenges, including legal battles and inflation. This rise in support indicates that he has a strong base of voters who continue to back him.
What To Know
Gallup’s latest poll, conducted between March 3-16 among 1,002 adults, shows Trump has improved on his approval ratings since his first term. Overall, 45 percent of Americans now approve of Trump’s performance, up from 42 percent during his first term in 2017—a modest gain of 3 percentage points. The poll had a margin of error of ± 2 percentage points.
Newsweek’s tracker also shows that Trump is more popular now than he was during his first term, according to Gallup’s poll. The tracker now shows that his approval rating now stands at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapprove.
The RealClearPolitics tracker shows that Trump’s approval rating currently stands at 48 percent, while 49 disapprove. That makes him more popular than he was at the same point in 2017, when his approval rating was 42 percent, while his disapproval rating was 52 percent, giving him a net approval rating of -10 points.
Gallup’s poll suggests that Trump’s rise in popularity is largely driven by increased support from men, Black Americans, Hispanics, and Gen Z voters.
While men have traditionally favored Republicans, the rise in Trump’s approval rating among Black Americans, Hispanics, and Gen Z voters is notable because these groups have historically formed a key part of the Democratic Party‘s base. Trump made substantial headway among these groups in the 2024 election. Among Black Americans, Trump doubled his vote from 2020 to 16 percent, up from 8 percent, according to AP VoteCast. He also increased his vote share among Hispanic voters by 8 points to 43 percent in 2024.
However, some of his most substantial gains were among the youngest voters, with whom he increased his vote share by 11 points. According to AP VoteCast, 47 percent of 18-29-year-olds voted for Trump in 2024, up from 36 percent in 2020.
Among men, his approval grew by 6 points in the latest Gallup poll, from 48 percent to 54 percent, while approval among women remained steady at 36 percent. Age-related trends show notable shifts, with support among 18-29-year-olds and 30-49-year-olds increasing by 6 points each, reaching 37 percent and 46 percent, respectively.
However, Trump saw a decline among older Americans, with approval among 65+ adults dropping by 6 points, from 50 percent in 2017 to 44 percent in 2025—the sharpest decrease of any group. Racial and ethnic shifts were even more pronounced. Trump’s approval among people of color surged by 12 points, rising from 20 percent in his first term to 32 percent now. Non-Hispanic Black Americans increased by 9 points, reaching 22 percent, while Hispanic Americans saw a 15-point jump to 37 percent, marking the largest gain among any group.
Trump’s boost in popularity comes despite polls showing that his approval rating on his handling of the economy is firmly in the negative. A YouGov/Yahoo poll (March 20-24) found 39 percent approval and 51 percent disapproval, the lowest in recent years. This reflects growing concerns about the U.S. economy, with 26 percent believing the country is in or heading toward a recession. Other polls, including Fox News and American Research Group, also show disapproval rates over 50 percent and widespread fear of an economic downturn.
Meanwhile, Gallup’s poll shows that 59 percent disapprove of his handling of the economy, while just 41 percent approve.
It comes as the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index found last month that Americans’ confidence in the economy has fallen to its lowest level since July 2024.
But despite pessimism about the state of the economy, polls show that voters are getting more optimistic about the direction the country is going in. The RealClearPolling tracker showed that on January 21, 61 percent of Americans thought the country was headed down the wrong track, while just 29 percent thought the opposite. Since then, things have changed drastically. Now the tracker shows that 43 recent think it is headed in the right direction, while 51 say it is on the wrong path.
Recent polls conducted by NBC and Marist show the same trend. According to NBC, 44 percent now think the country is on the right track—that’s the highest average recorded for NBC since 2004. And according to Marist’s poll, 44 percent also think the country is on the right track. That is the second highest rating recorded for the pollster since 2009.
But while Trump’s popularity has certainly increased, he is still the least popular president in recent times.
Trump is the only president to begin a term with a sub-50 percent approval rating, according to Gallup.
President Joe Biden started his first term with a 57 percent approval rating, Gallup said.
What Happens Next
If Trump’s popularity continues to rise, it could strengthen the Republican Party‘s position heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond. Democrats may be forced to reassess their messaging and voter outreach strategies.
The post How Donald Trump’s Approval Rating During Second Term Compares to His First appeared first on Newsweek.
