Approval ratings for Donald Trump have fallen to some of the weakest levels of his presidency, with new polling from CNN and YouGov indicating declining confidence in his economic leadership and emerging erosion within his political base.
A survey conducted by SSRS for CNN shows Trump's approval on handling the economy has dropped to 31%, a personal low and a critical metric in a political environment where economic performance remains the dominant voter concern. The same poll found only 27% approve of his handling of inflation and rising costs, down sharply from 44% a year earlier.
Overall approval stands at 35%, with 58% disapproving, according to an Economist/YouGov survey, producing a net rating of -23-his lowest recorded across both presidential terms in that dataset. The deterioration marks a notable shift from earlier periods when Trump's support, while polarized, remained comparatively stable within his base.
The erosion appears most pronounced among Republicans themselves. The CNN survey indicates that strong approval among GOP respondents has declined from 52% at the start of the year to 43%, while support among Republicans under 45 has dropped by 23 percentage points. Nearly three in ten Republicans now say Trump's policies have harmed the nation's economic health, more than double the 13% recorded earlier in the year.
Broader public sentiment reflects growing pessimism about economic conditions:
- 65% say Trump's policies have worsened the financial situation, a 10-point increase since early 2026
- Roughly 75% describe the economy as poor, with "very poor" assessments rising 12 points
- About 60% expect economic difficulties to continue into next year
These figures represent some of the most negative economic perceptions recorded during Trump's presidency and surpass comparable levels seen during Joe Biden's tenure, according to the CNN analysis.
The data also suggests cracks in Trump's previously resilient coalition of 2024 voters. Support among that group has fallen from 93% at the beginning of his term to 76%, while disapproval has climbed to 19%. Among non-voters, approval has dropped from 43% to 25%, indicating a broader decline in appeal beyond his core electorate.
Analysts note that the timing of the downturn is particularly significant. The weakening of economic confidence coincides with heightened geopolitical tensions and domestic policy debates, factors that can amplify voter sensitivity to financial conditions. Historically, presidents have relied on strong economic approval to offset political volatility elsewhere.
Trump's approval trajectory also compares unfavorably to earlier benchmarks. At a similar point in his first term, his net approval stood at -11, while Biden maintained a -6 rating at the equivalent stage of his presidency. Trump's current standing places him closer to his lowest recorded levels, with only brief periods-such as November 2017-showing comparable weakness.
