President Donald Trump's approval rating has hit its weakest point since he returned to office, according to new polling that shows his support eroding even among his core political base.
Support Weakening Within Trump's Coalition
A Gallup survey released Friday puts Trump's approval at 36%, with 60% of Americans disapproving of his job performance. That's down one point from July and represents his lowest standing 10 months into his second term, according to The Hill.
For context, Trump's all-time low in Gallup polling was 34%, which came shortly after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
What's particularly notable this time isn't just the Democratic opposition, which remains overwhelming. It's that cracks are appearing within Trump's own coalition. Republican approval has slid seven points since late October, dropping to 84%. Meanwhile, support among independents has fallen even more sharply, from 33% down to 25%.
Declining Marks Across Major Policy Areas
The deterioration isn't limited to overall job approval. Trump's ratings have fallen across virtually every major policy issue tracked by Gallup. Immigration approval dropped 9 points, while his handling of the Middle East conflict fell 7 points. Economic approval declined 6 points, and his marks on the federal budget plummeted 12 points since early this year. His Ukraine policy approval dropped 10 points.
Health care remains Trump's weakest issue, with just 30% approving of his handling.
Gallup pointed to several factors contributing to the decline: the extended federal shutdown, growing affordability concerns, and Republican losses in the November 5 elections. Trump's confrontational approach with reporters has also drawn attention, including an incident earlier this month where he told an ABC News journalist "Quiet, piggy," and another this week where he called a reporter "a stupid person" when questioned about vetting failures related to a murder suspect.
Reality Check on Trump's Poll Claims
Last week, Trump claimed on Truth Social that he had reached the highest poll numbers of his political career, citing economic and foreign-policy achievements. The timing was striking, given that CNN characterized it as "the worst 10-day period" of his second term in polling. Independent voters, who had been nearly evenly split on Trump, now disapprove by 43 points.
Earlier this month, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found his approval at 38%, marking another low point as voters expressed frustration with high prices and economic strain. Only 26% said he was managing the cost of living well, which prompted Trump to roll back several tariff-related duties.
He also faced criticism for reversing his position on releasing Justice Department files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, with only 20% approving of his handling of that issue. The same Reuters/Ipsos survey showed his Republican support dipping to 82%, signaling unusual weakness within his base.