Trump Approval Rating Hits New Low Ahead of 2026 Midterms
The news is not looking good for Republicans. President Donald Trump's approval rating fell yet again, landing at a new low with less than five weeks to go until the midterm elections. Read on for why the GOP is panicking over the latest approval numbers as the November 3 midterms quickly approach.
President Trump's Approval Ratings Hit New Low
President Trump's approval rating plummeted to a new low this week, according to the latest round of polling from the Wall Street Journal. The new numbers mark the lowest approval for an incumbent president in the weeks ahead of the midterms since the news agency began polling in 1990.
Released over the weekend, the poll found that the president's approval rating was just 37%. The dissatisfaction with the administration is not a surprise to those who have been following politics lately. The biggest sticking point with Americans continues to be the state of the economy. The latest poll found that 65% of Americans said that the economy was not strong, with 60% blaming Trump's policies for making the situation worse.
The Wall Street Journal poll was conducted among 1,500 registered voters between September 16 and 21. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Trump is even more unpopular than he was heading into the 2018 midterms. The economic picture is also far worse now than it was eight years ago. During his first term, Trump was able to hang his hat on the economy. It is a different situation now, with most Americans agreeing that the economy is in poor shape.
Americans cite the ongoing war in the Middle East and the associated high gas prices as major problems. The polling also demonstrates that consumers are unhappy with the cost of groceries and other hard products and services.
Historic Low Polling Comparable to 2006
You have to go back to 2006 to find a comparable rating. A poll by the same agency ahead of the 2006 midterms found that former President George W. Bush had a 39% approval rating.
Like 2026, the nation was in the middle of an unpopular war in the Middle East in 2006. The midterm election proved favorable for the Democrats as the party picked up five seats in the Senate and a whopping 31 in the House. As a result, the Democrats enjoyed control of both congressional chambers for the first time in 10 years.
Fast-forward to 2026, and the country is once again engaged in an unpopular war. Many Americans have been critical of the war with Iran, and this sentiment continues to grow as the conflict drags on with no end in sight.
The latest poll follows the data trend set by other polling services over the last several weeks. Democrats have seen leads ranging from five to 11 percentage points over their GOP counterparts in several surveys that asked participants what party they want to control Congress after the midterms.
Although there are some nuances in individual polls, the general trends put Trump in negative territory. Looking at a few of these recent polls from major polling agencies, a RealClearPolitics poll has the president at an approval rating of 38.7% and a disapproval rating of 59.9%. The New York Times has the approval rating even lower at 37% along with a disapproval rating of 60%. Likewise, Silver Bulletin puts the approval at 37.4% with a disapproval rating of 60.1%.
While Democrats are encouraged by these numbers, they are also reminding their base that the polling is not helpful unless they get out and vote.
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