Donald Trump's approval ratings suffer big blow as tariffs spark trade war, market turmoil
Donald Trump's approval rating suffered a major hit following his sweeping tariff announcement, which has sent shockwaves through global markets.
President Donald Trump's approval rating suffered a major hit following his sweeping tariff announcement, which has sent shockwaves through global markets.

In a number of surveys released in the past week, fewer than half of Americans expressed satisfaction with Trump's job performance and his handling of trade, with the majority blaming the President's economic policies.
In addition to extra, higher charges on dozens of nations that he claims have unfairly treated the US in trade, Trump declared last Wednesday that 10% tariffs on imports from all countries would go into effect over the weekend.
His harsh tariffs have depressed US markets and triggered a worldwide trade war. Meanwhile, opinions of Trump are marginally declining as the economy seems to be getting worse.
Tracking Trump approval rating
Trump's approval rating dropped 4 points to 43% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week, compared to a similar survey conducted when he first took over the White House in January. The survey, which was carried out over three days this month, ended on the “Liberation Day” when Trump announced tariffs.
Additionally, the President's net popularity rating on trade fell from +13 to -3.
Trump has a 46% popularity rating and a 54% disapproval rating, according to a Marquette Law School poll of 1,021 American adults conducted from March 17–27 with a 3.5-point margin of error.
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Voters express disappointment
In the survey, voters blasted Trump's management of the economy and attempts to lower the high cost of living.
According to slightly over fifty percent of those surveyed, raising tariffs would be detrimental rather than beneficial.
With a 46% approval rating, Trump was likewise seen negatively in another poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal. In the survey release on Friday, 54% of voters indicated they do not favour Trump's levies.
Trump's declining favorability is also reflected in some conservative-friendly polls. According to its daily presidential monitoring poll, Rasmussen Reports stated on Monday that 48% of prospective American voters are satisfied with Trump's performance.
In a first, Trump's popularity in his second term fell below 50% in the daily poll on Thursday.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShweta KukretiShweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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