President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have collapsed to historic lows across the country, with a new YouGov and Economist projection showing negative net approval in 47 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only three states—Wyoming, Idaho, and West Virginia—maintain majority approval of the president, according to the analysis released August 21, 2026.
The three states where Trump retains positive approval are Wyoming (+14), Idaho (+9), and West Virginia (+6), all of which voted for Trump in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections. By contrast, the lowest approval rating appears in Washington, D.C., at -83, while Maryland and Vermont each show -50, reflecting their status as historically Democratic strongholds.
Trump’s national approval rating has reached record depths for his second term. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll released August 17, only 33 percent of Americans approved of his job performance—the lowest approval rating he has recorded since returning to the White House in 2025. Major polling averages confirm the downward trend: RealClearPolitics shows 39.5 percent approve and 57.2 percent disapprove, while the New York Times average stands at 37 percent approval and 59 percent disapproval.
The president began his second term with substantially higher approval. Forbes reported that Trump started with a 52 percent approval rating and 43 percent disapproval rating, marking a dramatic 19-point swing downward over roughly eighteen months.
What Is Driving the Decline
Two issues dominate voter concerns about Trump’s performance: the ongoing war with Iran and the state of the economy. In the August 17 Reuters/Ipsos poll, 80 percent of Americans—including 87 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans—expressed concern that U.S. involvement with Iran would continue for an “extended period of time.”
Economic disapproval is equally severe. A June 2026 Economist/YouGov poll found that a record 63 percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy. Inflation has been a persistent drag on sentiment, with 73 percent disapproving of Trump’s handling of inflation in May polling, even as the president stated he “loves the inflation” in June when inflation data showed a 4.2 percent annual rate.
The combination of an unpopular foreign war and persistent economic concerns has eroded support across demographic groups. The Economist’s tracker noted that Trump’s net approval rating on inflation and prices reached -44 in August, the lowest of his second term. Among white voters without college degrees—a core Trump constituency—approval has fallen from 61 percent in February 2025 to 46 percent currently, according to reporting from The Hill.
Trump’s state-by-state collapse mirrors his national trajectory. The approval rating hit 33 percent in the latest poll, marking a continued slide that has alarmed Republicans heading into the midterm elections. The geographic breadth of his disapproval suggests limited room for recovery among swing voters and independents who have moved away from his presidency.
Sources
- USA Today — reported the YouGov/Economist state-by-state projection showing negative approval in 47 states and D.C., with Wyoming, Idaho, and West Virginia as the only states with positive approval
- Reuters/Ipsos — conducted polling showing Trump’s approval at 33 percent, the lowest of his presidency, and found 80 percent of Americans concerned about extended Iran involvement
- The Economist and YouGov — provided the state-by-state approval tracker and documented Trump’s net approval on inflation reaching -44 in August
- Forbes — reported Trump’s initial second-term approval at 52 percent and documented the decline to current levels
- Time — reported that 73 percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation and 65 percent have a deteriorating view of the economy
- The Hill — documented Trump’s approval among white voters without college degrees falling from 61 percent to 46 percent
