President Donald Trump traveled to Asia for several days the week of October 27, as the US government shutdown stretches into its fourth week.
President Trump told reporters while flying between Malaysia, Japan and South Korea that his poll numbers were high because he had been toying with the idea of seeking a third term. However, on October 29, he acknowledged that the constitution limits his term to two terms.
But polls consistently tell a different story. Despite a turbulent first nine months, his approval ratings have remained stable at historically low levels. Here’s what Americans think about President Trump’s job performance, the “No Kings” protests and the government shutdown.
The Economist/YouGov: Support for ‘No Kings’ protests has increased since June
According to a poll of 1,623 American adults conducted by The Economist and YouGov between October 24 and 27, President Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 39%. According to the public opinion poll, 58% of voters disapproved of him, resulting in a net approval rating of -19 points, the lowest in his second term. However, it was only 2 points worse than last week’s poll. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
The poll also asked about the October 18th “No Kings” protests. This is the second nationwide protest, the first taking place on June 14, which would have been President Trump’s 79th birthday. Most respondents (87%) had heard about the protests, but only 8% said they had participated.
But polls from The Economist and YouGov show that Americans are expressing support for the protests. 49% said they were in favor, while 33% were opposed. The gap has widened by 12 points since the June protests, according to the pollster.
Reuters/Ipsos: 50% dissatisfied with closure, 20% angry
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on October 28 showed the president’s approval rating at 40%, up from 42% last week. Although the three-day poll showed a two-point drop from the previous poll, the difference was within the margin of error and the president’s ratings remained stable.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that positive opinion of his job performance has not deviated by more than 1 or 2 percentage points from the current 40% level for more than five months. However, disapproval rates rose over the same period, rising from 52% in the May 16-18 poll to 57% in the most recent October 24-26 poll.
The poll was conducted online among 1,018 adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
The poll also asked about people’s thoughts on what is currently the second longest government shutdown in American history. The survey found that 50% of Americans are dissatisfied with the government shutdown, and an additional 20% are angry. About 29% said they were either not concerned or happy about the closure, according to Reuters.
What is President Trump’s overall average approval rating?
President Trump’s approval rating is a net negative, but has remained relatively stable over the past few months, according to an average based on RealClearPolitics and the New York Times aggregators.
According to graphics from RealClearPolitics, President Trump’s approval rating was 50.5% as of January 27th, making him net positive, but by March 13th, his approval rating was 47.8%, and his disapproval rating was 48.5%, making him net negative. Trump’s approval rating reached its lowest point on April 29 at 45.1%, but it declined near the 100th anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration. On September 30, the day before the government shutdown began, the approval rating hit an all-time low of 44.8%.
According to a tally by the New York Times, President Trump’s approval rating fell from 52% in January to 44% in April, and has remained roughly flat since then. According to the Times, Trump’s lowest approval rating during his term was 43%, which he first reached on August 21, about 10 days after he took over Washington, DC.
As of October 29, President Trump’s average approval rating is 45.1%, according to RealClearPolitics, and 43% according to the New York Times.
President Trump’s approval rating is lower than other presidents
A Gallup poll conducted from October 1 to 16 found that 41% of people approve of President Trump’s job performance, a slight increase from the previous month.
Trump’s approval ratings in his first October as the 45th and 47th president of the United States were lower than any other modern president during the same period, according to a historical analysis by Gallup. According to Gallup, his October confirmation compares to other presidents’ first year in office.
- Joe Biden (October 2021) – 42% support
- President Trump (October 2017) – 37% approve
- Barack Obama (October 2009) – 53% approve
- George W. Bush (October 2001) – 88% approved
- Bill Clinton (October 1993) – 48% support
- George H.W. Bush (October 1989) – 68% approve
- Ronald Reagan (October 1981) – 55% approve
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky (@kinseycrowley.bsky.social).
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. You can contact her at kapalmer@usatoday.com or at X@.Kathryn Purml.
