Donald Trump’s approval rating has taken a significant hit among a critical segment of the electorate—independent voters, according to a new poll.
The latest Gallup survey, conducted between May 1 and May 18 among 1,003 adults, showed that only 33 percent of independent voters approved of Trump’s performance as president, down from 46 percent in January. The poll had a margin of error of ±4 percentage points.
Why It Matters
Independent voters often decide the outcome of national elections, and Trump’s record-low approval among this group signals potential trouble ahead—not just for his own political capital, but for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms.
Independent voters were a key pillar of Trump’s coalition in the 2024 election, with 46 percent backing him—up from 41 percent in 2020, when a majority (54 percent) voted Democrat. But that support appears to be eroding.
What To Know
Trump’s declining approval ratings among independents comes at a time when his overall approval ratings are stabilizing after a period of decline following the introduction of his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The move triggered a temporary Dow Jones crash and stoked fears of rising inflation and an impending recession, causing his approval numbers to sink across the board.
Gallup’s poll was not an exception to that rule, showing that Trump’s approval rating has fallen by just 1 point to 43 percent since April, while his disapproval rating remained unchanged at 53 percent.
Trump’s approval rating among Republicans and Democrats has also not seen much change, with 90 percent of Republicans saying they approve of his job performance, and just 4 percent of Democrats—both of which are in line with prior readings.
But the poll suggests Trump is failing to win over independent voters, with just 31 percent saying they are satisfied with the way things are going in the country. That is compared with 79 percent of Republicans, 4 percent of Democrats, and 38 percent of Americans overall.
Trump’s approval rating among independents has been in continuous decline since his second term began. Gallup’s April average for Trump’s approval rating among independent voters was nine percentage points lower than their inaugural rating of Trump.
And last month, in the wake of Trump’s tariffs, analysis by Newsweek found that the president’s net approval among independent voters stood at -17 points, with just 37 percent approving and 54 percent disapproving. Meanwhile, analysis by CNN pollster Harry Enten found that Trump’s net approval rating among independents had gone from -16 percent in 2017 to -22 percent in 2025, meaning the president had “broken his own record.”
Trump’s approval rating on the economy among independents had also fallen, according to Enten’s analysis, from +1 in January to -29 percent.
And the latest YouGov/Economist poll showed that satisfaction with the economy among independent voters is continuing to fall, standing at 29 percent this month, down from 32 percent last month.
Meanwhile, Gallup’s poll shows that economic concerns persist for many Americans—not just independents.
According to the poll, only 23 percent of Americans describe the economy as “excellent” or “good,” and a majority (58 percent) say it’s getting worse.
What People Are Saying
Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek: “It’s hard not to think that Trump’s precipitous dips in approvals among independents is due to economic anxiety.
“His scorched-earth approach to the global trade system has injected huge convulsions into financial markets, stoking inflation and, in the eyes of many economists, laying the groundwork for the dreaded ‘r’ word—recession.”
Brett Loyd, president and CEO of polling company The Bullfinch Group, told Newsweek: “The first 90 days of his first term, his job approval dropped a net 8 points. While his job approval started higher in his second term, it has plummeted faster (about a net -10 points in the first 90 days).
“Self-identified Democrats and Republicans aren’t the ones moving these numbers by and large—it’s Independents. Independent voters who were geared to give him a chance to lower inflation ‘on day one.’ That hasn’t happened. And worse, some are beginning to feel that the economy isn’t just failing to move in the right direction, it’s actually headed in the wrong one.
“Independents are independent-minded thinkers—they don’t have to approve of Trump just because he’s Team Red, or disapprove of him because they’re Team Blue. They see the economy isn’t getting better, that there’s chaos in Washington, and think, ‘Hey, that’s not what we were hoping for.’ They’ll give you a chance, but you gotta perform.”
What Happens Next
As the effects of his economic, immigration and other major policies come into sharper relief, Trump’s approval rating is likely to fluctuate.
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