Is Donald trump doing well in public opinion
Executive summary
Donald Trump is not doing well in public opinion overall: national polling in January 2026 shows approval clustered around the low 40s with disapproval comfortably in the mid‑50s and net approval in the negative teens, a downward drift from earlier in the year [1] [2] [3] [4]. That said, his core supporters remain intensely loyal, producing a polarized picture that is dangerous for his governing agenda but not an outright collapse of his political standing [5] [6].
1. Where the numbers stand: low 40s, negative net approval
Across multiple national surveys and aggregates, Trump’s job approval in January 2026 is generally reported in the high 30s to mid‑40s — for example, a New York Times/Siena and several national polls put him near 40–43 percent approval while RealClear averages sit around 42.4 percent — and disapproval figures are consistently higher, producing net approval ratings in the negative low‑ to mid‑teens [1] [2] [7] [3] [4].
2. Why the numbers look bad: economic pain and issue fatigue
A string of polls finds the public increasingly convinced Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions and not prioritized everyday costs; one CNN survey showed 55 percent say his policies worsened the economy and 64 percent say he hasn’t gone far enough to lower prices, feeding overall stagnating or negative marks across issue areas [8]. Aggregators and analysts note that while his economic approval briefly ticked up in some averages, overall handling of bread‑and‑butter issues remains a weakness contributing to his negative net scores [4] [9].
3. The blue/red split: a fierce base, brittle broader support
Poll analysis describes a polarized electorate: Trump retains overwhelming loyalty among his 2024 voters — some polls show retention rates north of 90 percent — which explains relatively stable approval among partisans even as cross‑cutting independents and many swing constituencies sour [5] [6]. That dynamic means his national approval can look middling but deceptively durable; it also means Republican candidates elsewhere may be tied to a brand that tests poorly with unaffiliated voters [10] [11].
4. Trends and trajectory: slipping now, could recover if conditions change
Multiple outlets and analysts interpret the current polling as a decline from earlier in the administration: averages and individual polls show downward movement and some record‑low second‑term marks for Trump, particularly in net approval [3] [11] [6]. Commentators caution that presidential popularity is sensitive to future developments — a pickup in the economy, a foreign‑policy win, or other headline events could lift numbers — but absent such reversals the midterm environment looks hazardous for an incumbent whose approval is negative on balance [11] [10].
5. What this means in plain terms
Is Donald Trump doing well in public opinion? No: on balance he is under water — approval in the low‑40s, disapproval in the mid‑50s, and net approval in the negative teens by several polls and aggregates — which signals political vulnerability beyond his committed base [1] [2] [3] [4]. The important qualification is that those committed supporters make him a stubbornly potent political force even while broader public opinion is unfavorable; polls vary and trends can reverse, so this is a snapshot of weakness rather than a fatal electoral diagnosis [5] [6].