President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33 percent in the latest Economist/YouGov poll, marking his lowest approval in YouGov tracking across both his first and second terms. The survey, conducted August 7–10, 2026, found that 62 percent of Americans disapprove of his job performance, giving Trump a net approval rating of -29, also the lowest he has ever recorded.
The decline represents a sharp 19-percentage-point drop from the 52 percent approval Trump held when he took office in January 2025. Only 17 percent of Americans strongly approve of Trump’s performance, a new low for his second term, while 50 percent strongly disapprove.
The collapse in support spans demographic groups that once backed Trump. Among independents, his net approval stands at -53, a dramatic swing from -28 at the start of 2026. Non-MAGA Republicans have shifted even more sharply: they began Trump’s second term with 90 percent approval but now stand at only 51 percent approval and 47 percent disapproval, a net approval of just +3.
Among Trump’s core MAGA Republican supporters, approval has remained stable at 92 percent. However, this base represents roughly 60 percent of all Republicans. The roughly 30 percent of Republicans who do not identify as MAGA supporters have become a significant source of erosion, according to the YouGov data.
Economic concerns appear to be the primary driver of the decline. A separate analysis of polling trends found that voters have grown increasingly frustrated with inflation and rising gas prices, with Trump’s approval on the economy falling to 27 percent in some measures. The Iran war, which began in February 2026, has also weighed on public confidence, according to reporting from multiple outlets.
The political implications are evident in congressional preference. Democrats now lead Republicans 46 to 40 percent among registered voters for the 2026 House elections, the largest Democratic advantage in any Economist/YouGov poll since February 2026. Among voters who strongly disapprove of Trump—now half the population—82 percent say they would vote for a Democratic congressional candidate compared to 3 percent who would vote Republican.
Trump’s approval decline has been relatively steady throughout 2025 and into 2026, though it has accelerated in recent months. The erosion of support among non-MAGA Republicans suggests that Trump’s political coalition has narrowed considerably since the start of his second term, with defections concentrated among independents and moderate Republicans who initially gave him a chance.
At this point in his first term, Trump had a net approval of -10, while Joe Biden had a -17 net approval at the equivalent stage of his presidency. Trump’s current -29 net approval represents a significant underperformance relative to both predecessors at comparable points in their terms.
Sources
- YouGov — Economist/YouGov poll (August 7–10, 2026) showing 33% approval, 62% disapproval, and demographic breakdowns
- ECIKS — analysis of Trump’s approval decline tied to inflation, Iran war, and 52% starting approval in January 2025
