The Economist

369 days into Donald Trump’s term

The president’s net approval rating is -19%,
down 2.0 points since last week.
37% approve, 56% disapprove, 5% not sure

Last updated on January 24th 2026

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Net approval rating, % points

A year ago, as Donald Trump was sworn into office for a second time, The Economist predicted that this term would be “more disruptive than his first”.

That turned out to be an understatement.

Mr Trump has lobbed grenades at the global order that America helped to build after the second world war, blowing up the rules-based trade system and maiming alliances.

At home, the president and his allies have smashed norms as they battle his perceived enemies in Congress, the bureaucracy, the courts, universities, newsrooms and on the streets.

Americans do not seem happy.

At the beginning of Mr Trump’s second term his net approval rating was 2. It has now fallen to -19, the lowest it has been this term.

A week into Mr Trump’s term 37% of Americans thought the country was headed in the right direction while 50% thought it was on the wrong track.

Those numbers are now 31% and 61% respectively.

Net approval by issue

Inflation/pricesJan 2026

Taxes & spendingNov 2025

Jobs & the economyDec 2025

ImmigrationJan 2026

National securityDec 2025Americans are also dissatisfied with Mr Trump’s record in carrying out two of his most important campaign promises: to lower inflation (and, unrealistically, to cut prices) and to end the “flood of illegal immigration” that took place under his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Ratings of his handling of inflation and prices have fallen from 6 to -27 in a year.

And, although immigration has indeed plunged, net approval of his policies in this area has dropped from 11 in February to -7 now.

Using YouGov’s data, The Economist has projected Mr Trump’s approval rating state by state. As you might expect, approval of Mr Trump is lowest in states that tend to vote for Democrats and highest in those that tend to vote for Republicans.

Mr Trump’s voters still overwhelmingly approve of his performance as president. But the projection also shows how dissatisfaction with Mr Trump is widespread even in states that voted for him in 2024. The numbers will make anxious reading for Republicans facing competitive races in this year’s midterm elections.

What is the most important issue facing America?

% responding by partyAllRepDem

1 Inflation/prices

Dem 24%

Rep 24%

All 23%20232425260102030

2 Jobs and the economy

Dem 13%

Rep 14%

All 15%202324252601020

3 Health care

Dem 16%

Rep 8%

All 11%202324252601020

4 Taxes and government spending

Dem 3%

Rep 12%

All 8%202324252601020

5 Civil rights

Dem 15%

Rep 1%

All 8%202324252601020

6 Civil liberties

Dem 12%

Rep 1%

All 7%202324252601020

7 Immigration

Dem 3%

Rep 11%

All 6%

8 Climate change and the environment

Dem 7%

Rep 1%

All 5%

9 National security

Dem 1%

Rep 10%

All 5%

10 Crime

Dem 2%

Rep 6%

All 4%