E-Paper
Trump's approval stays negative ahead of midterms: Key concerns driving record-low disapproval
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has stayed negative for over a year, fluctuating but trending toward higher disapproval in recent months.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to a new low in a recent American Research Group poll, with only 30% of Americans expressing approval of his job performance as the 2026 midterm elections draw closer.
The survey, carried out between June 16 and June 20 among 1,100 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, found that 66% disapprove of Trump’s performance.
Economic concerns drive disapproval surge
This reportedly marks the highest level of disapproval and the lowest approval rating recorded by the pollster across both of his presidential terms.
Among respondents who disapprove of Donald Trump, economic concern appears high, with 82% believing that conditions will deteriorate over the next year, according to the poll.
The findings come as economic pessimism continues to deepen across voters, while both major parties begin shaping their strategies ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, where public views on the economy are expected to play a decisive role.
Americans have also grown increasingly critical of Trump’s economic management. In the latest poll, just 26% of respondents approved of his handling of the economy, while a significant 70% expressed disapproval.
Sustained negative approval for Trump
Similar sentiments were reflected in a Marist poll conducted on June 18, where 60% of Americans said they disapproved of Trump’s economic performance, underscoring a broader trend of economic dissatisfaction among voters.
Trump’s approval rating has remained in negative territory for over a year, showing continued fluctuations but an overall trend toward greater disapproval in recent months.
White House rejects poll claims
The statement from a White House spokesperson Davis Ingle rejected the poll results, telling USA TODAY that Trump’s 2024 reelection victory should be viewed as the “ultimate poll,” dismissing the survey findings in response to the reported decline in approval ratings.
Trump dismissed inflation concerns
Trump brushed aside concerns over rising consumer prices in the United States earlier this month, responding to a question about the Labor Department’s latest consumer price index by saying, "I love the inflation."
Also read: Senate passes resolution to end US military action against Iran in rare rebuke to Trump
His remarks came after the report showed that prices had increased by 4.2% in May compared to the same period a year earlier.
This marked the first time inflation had climbed above 4% since 2023 and represented the steepest yearly rise in three years.
