President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are lurking near the end of 2025, but they are slightly better than their November lows.
As the new year begins, the mood of voters will be a top concern as the 2026 midterm elections approach and Republicans hope to maintain control of Congress. Recent elections and polls have pointed to President Trump’s weaknesses in the economy and cost of living. But in a prime-time speech on Dec. 17, Trump blamed Democrats for the affordability problem.
Another issue plaguing President Trump in his second term is rearing its head in the final week of December. The Justice Department is in the process of releasing criminal case files related to Jeffrey Epstein after the Dec. 19 deadline established by the Epstein File Transparency Act. The badge, released on Dec. 23, mentioned Trump multiple times. Here’s what you need to know about his approval ratings.
What is President Trump’s average approval rating?
President Trump’s approval ratings are net negative, but appear to be starting to stabilize, recovering slightly from last month’s steep decline, according to an average compiled by RealClearPolitics and the New York Times.
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. The approval rating hit its lowest of 45.1% on April 29, but it declined near the 100th day of the Trump administration. It hit a new low of 42.3% on Nov. 14 as the controversy over Jeffrey Epstein’s emails intensifies following the end of the government shutdown. The following week, his disapproval rating also hit a record high of 55.6% on November 21st. According to Real Clear Politics, as of December 23, the approval rate is 43% and the disapproval rate is 53.6%.
President Trump’s approval rating fell from 52% in January to 44% in April, then remained roughly flat for several months, according to a New York Times tally. Trump’s lowest approval rating of his term is 41%, which he first reached on November 12, according to the Times. The disapproval rate also rose to 56% on November 19, the highest level this term, according to the aggregation company. According to the Times, as of Dec. 23, 42% of voters approve and 54% disapprove.
Morning consultation: Voters want President Trump to focus on the economy
A Morning Consult poll conducted December 19-21 found President Trump’s approval rating at 45%. The poll surveyed 2,203 registered U.S. voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. The approval rating decreased by 1 point from the previous week, but the disapproval rating remained unchanged at 52%. Both are worse than the polling agency’s average since January.
The survey also found that while voters are most likely to want President Trump to focus on lowering prices, fewer say he will prioritize these policies.
Gallup: Voters have negative views of other U.S. leaders
A new two-week poll released by Gallup on December 22 shows that President Trump’s approval rating in the last month of the year has languished at 36%, but is buoyed by a high approval rating of 89% among Republicans. Among independents, his approval rating is 25% in the latest Gallup poll. In the survey, Democratic opinion of the president dropped to 3%. President Trump’s approval rating in December was unchanged from last month’s Gallup poll, when it fell to its lowest point during his second term, and was barely above his January 2021 low of 34%.
The poll also shows that a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, dissatisfied with the current state of the country, and disapprove of the top leaders of the White House, Supreme Court, and Federal Reserve.
The poll surveyed 1,016 adults living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
How does President Donald Trump’s approval rating compare to previous presidents?
Trump’s approval rating as the 45th and 47th president in December, his first year in office, was lower than that of any other modern president during the same period, according to a historical analysis by Gallup. According to Gallup, his December confirmation compares to that of other presidents in their first year in office.
- Joe Biden (December 2021) – 43% support
- President Trump (December 2017) – 36% approve
- Barack Obama (December 2009) – 50% approve
- George W. Bush (December 2001) – 86% approved
- Bill Clinton (December 1993) – 53% support
- George H.W. Bush (December 1989) – 71% approved
- Ronald Reagan (December 1981) – 49% support
Contributor: Katherine Palmer, USA TODAY
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact KCrowley@usatodayco.com. follow her X (Twitter), blue sky and TikTok.
