More than half of Americans approve of President Donald Trump‘s approach to transgender issues—exceeding his overall job approval rating—according to a new Associated Press-NORC poll.
Why It Matters
After campaigning heavily on transgender issues, one of Trump’s first executive orders declared that there are only two genders—”male and female.” He has heavily pushed policies and issued several executive orders rolling back rights for transgender people since retaking office.
Trump signed a ban on openly transgender people serving in the military in an executive order on January 27, claiming that transgender troops negatively impact “excellence” and “readiness.” Another order in February, banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports. Schools that do not comply face loss of federal funding
Recent weeks have seen Trump’s approval ratings plummet amid anxiety about the impact of his everchanging tariff policy, which in April saw markets temporarily crash before bouncing back days later. But after a sharp decline driven by economic anxiety, a recovery in his numbers suggests the president may be stabilizing his base and regaining control of the political narrative.
What To Know
An AP-NORC poll of 1,175 adults conducted between May 1 and 5 and published on Saturday, found that more than half of Americans, 52 percent, approve of how the president is handling transgender issues. The findings are significantly higher than Trump’s overall job approval rating, which the poll measured at 41 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Among party lines, 19 percent of Democrats approve of his handling of transgender issues, compared to 48 percent of independents, and 90 percent of Republicans.
Although less than 1 percent of the U.S. population identifies as transgender, Trump has pursued sweeping policy changes, particularly targeting transgender participation in sports. In 2022, the University of California Los Angeles Williams Institute published that there are about 1.6 million transgender people over the age of 13, around 0.5 percent of the U.S. population. Regarding sports, theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker said in December that fewer than 10 percent of college athletes identify as transgender.
However, the Trump administration has prioritized transgender reforms, and in April, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil rights lawsuit against Maine’s Department of Education (ED), alleging it violates federal law by allowing transgender girls to participate in girls’ school sports.
The AP-NORC poll also found that about 68 percent of Americans agree with Trump that a person’s sex is based on their biological characteristics at birth, with 44 percent of Democrats in agreement and 89 percent of Republicans.
More recently, efforts have intensified to remove transgender individuals from military service. This however has less approval, as 4 in 10 Americans said they support allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military, while about one-quarter said they were opposed, according to the poll.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to begin discharging transgender service members who do not voluntarily exit by June 6, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters. The defense memo came after the Supreme Court ruling that cleared the path for the ban to be temporarily implemented until a lower court rules on it.
What People Are Saying
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month reacting to a post about transgender treatments provided by the Pentagon, on X, formerly Twitter: “If this is true—we will find any way possible to stop it. Taxpayers should NEVER pay for this lunacy. As we stated—before a rogue judge blocked it—’service members with gender dysphoria are disqualified from military service.’ Zero readiness reasons for trans troops.”
Chief Pentagon spokesman and senior adviser Sean Parnell in a news release on Thursday: “Today, the Department will issue guidance to the Military Departments and Services ending the accession of individuals with a current diagnosis or history of, or symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria and all non-medically necessary treatment. Approximately 1,000 Service members who have self-identified as being diagnosed with gender dysphoria will begin the voluntary separation process. The Department will extend the voluntary separation period for 30 days for Active Component Service members, and 60 days for Reserve Component Service members, and proceed with processing for involuntary separations after those periods.”
Former college athlete and conservative commentator, Riley Gaines, said at an April DOJ press conference: “I’m frustrated that we have to be here. That we as women have to stand before you all, on national television, demanding equal opportunities. Demanding privacy in areas of undressing. Demanding safety in our sports. [It’s] amazing to me that we are still here fighting this fight.”
Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills said in a statement last month: “As I have said previously, this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a president can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”
What Happens Next?
Starting June 6, transgender service members may face discharge if they have not voluntarily left the military.
Trump continues to have a higher disapproval than approval rating, despite having won the popular vote in 2024. As of Saturday afternoon, RealClearPolling shows Trump with an aggregate approval rating of 45 percent, and a 50 percent disapproval rating. Several individual polls find a wider spread.
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