President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has slipped to tie its lowest thus far in his second term in a new Ipsos and Reuters poll released on Tuesday.
The polling group has charted Trump’s approval rating since his January inauguration and throughout his first term.
Why It Matters
Trump has routinely touted positive approval ratings and polls during news conferences and campaign rallies throughout his political career.
When the president returned to the White House in January, he coasted in with positive numbers. However, his approval ratings then dipped significantly, notably amid sweeping tariff announcements. Trump later walked back the tariffs by announcing a 90-day pause for the majority.
Slipping in polls could ultimately hinder Trump’s political clout in an already highly polarized climate and potentially hurt Republican chances in the upcoming 2026 midterms.
What To Know
In the poll taken from May 16 to May 18 among 1,024 U.S. adults, Trump’s approval rating is 42 percent.
The president also garnered a 42 percent mark with the same polling group on April 21 and April 27. Just last week in an Ipsos and Reuters poll, the president received a 44 percent approval rating. The margin of error for the poll released on Tuesday is 3 percent.
The poll also shows Trump has a 39 percent approval rating on the economy versus a 53 percent disapproval score. On employment and jobs, the president received 41 percent approval versus 49 percent disapproval, the poll shows.
But another poll shows the president’s approval rating surging on the heels of his trip to the Middle East. According to a new InsiderAdvantage poll taken from May 17 to May 19 among 1,000 likely voters, Trump has a net approval rating of 11 points.
The poll shows that 55 percent approve of the job he is doing, while 44 percent disapprove. The survey also had a margin of error of 3 percent. The president’s approval rating is up from a net approval rating of 2 points in early May, when 46 percent approved and 44 percent disapproved of the president.
What People Are Saying
Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek via text message on Tuesday: “His approval rating dipping to 42% in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll signals a troubling trend for his administration, particularly as it aligns with growing public unease over economic policies like tariffs and concerns about governance amid understaffed agencies.”
Agranoff added: “Given the consistent downward trajectory we’ve seen in recent polls, with disapproval climbing to around 51%, this negative trend could persist unless there’s a significant policy win or shift in public perception. A president typically becomes concerned with low approval ratings when they fall below 40% for a sustained period, as this erodes political capital, weakens legislative leverage, and risks alienating key voter groups; especially independents and moderates, who have shown notable disapproval in recent data.
“For Trump, the challenge will be addressing these economic and credibility concerns swiftly to reverse the slide,” Agranoff concluded.
The Republicans Against Trump account posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: “NEW: Donald Trump’s approval rating drops to 42%, per Reuters/Ipsos poll, down two points since early May. Still way too high.”
What Happens Next
Poll results on Trump’s approval rating are announced regularly across numerous media outlets and pollsters.
The post Trump’s Approval Rating Slides to Match Lowest This Term, New Poll Shows appeared first on Newsweek.
