Is trump loosing power
Executive summary
President Trump’s measurable public support has declined since the start of his second term: Gallup finds his approval at 36% (a second‑term low) and multiple polls show falling support and worries among his voters about the economy [1] [2]. Those trends have already translated into mixed electoral results for Trump‑backed candidates in 2025 and a sharpened debate inside the GOP over 2026 strategy — but institutional levers of presidential power remain intact and courts and the White House are still reshaping those levers [3] [4] [5].
1. Polling shows clear erosion, especially on the economy
Nationwide polling and party surveys record falling approval and growing voter blame for economic pain: Gallup reports Trump’s job approval at 36%, a new low for his second term, and POLITICO finds 46% of Americans say the affordability crisis is now Trump’s responsibility — signals that the president’s popularity is under strain and that his coalition is beginning to fray [1] [2].
2. Election returns already signaled political cost
Recent 2025 contests show voters rejecting several Trump‑endorsed choices and electing Democrats in high‑profile local and gubernatorial races; PBS, Fox and Reuters all document Democrats’ gains and instances where Trump’s late interventions failed or backfired, which is prompting party leaders to worry about 2026 prospects [3] [6] [4].
3. Republican majorities are narrow; control of Congress is the real test
Even with the presidency, Republicans hold narrow margins in both chambers; Reuters warns that losing one chamber would cripple Trump’s remaining agenda and could even restore the House’s capacity to impeach him again — so “loss of power” would be transactional and hinge largely on midterm outcomes rather than an immediate institutional collapse [4].
4. The White House still wields significant institutional muscle
Reporting shows the Trump administration continuing to exercise and expand executive authority: the Supreme Court signaled it might make it easier for the president to remove independent officials, and the White House is advancing policy priorities and personnel changes — meaning that despite polling weakness, formal presidential power remains robust [5] [7].
5. Narrative and legal fights matter as much as raw polls
The Guardian and the New York Times document an active push by the administration and allies to reshape election rules and use executive powers — opponents call these moves attacks on voting and norms, while supporters frame them as overdue reforms. These competing narratives will shape public perception and institutional pushback as much as numbers do [8] [9].
6. Internal GOP dynamics reflect both deference and unease
Axios and Reuters describe a fractured Republican approach: Trump is seizing control of 2026 strategy and pushing allies to avoid primaries, even as party strategists warn that failing to own the affordability issue or to shore up vulnerable incumbents could cost the GOP its majorities — a sign that Trump still leads the party but that his dominance creates strategic trade‑offs [10] [4].
7. What “losing power” would realistically look like
Available reporting frames loss of power as a combination of: electoral setbacks that flip one or both congressional chambers (which would constrain or reverse his agenda and expose him to impeachment proceedings), sustained polling collapse undermining GOP turnout, and successful legal or institutional checks. None of the sources claim Trump has lost executive authority outright; rather they show vulnerabilities that could translate into reduced influence if electoral trends continue [4] [1] [2].
8. Limits of the available reporting and open questions
Current sources document approval ratings, midterm outcomes and institutional moves but do not provide a single metric that defines “power” nor evidence that formal presidential authority has been curtailed beyond standard political checks. Available sources do not mention any definitive legal removal of presidential powers or a loss of control over the executive branch beyond the conventional back‑and‑forth among branches (not found in current reporting).
Closing assessment: Trump’s political standing is demonstrably weaker than it was at the start of his term — with low approval ratings, voter blame on the economy, and mixed election results eroding his political leverage — yet he still controls the executive branch and party machinery, and the real test of whether he “loses power” will be the 2026 congressional map and ensuing legal and institutional fights that Reuters, Gallup, POLITICO and other outlets say are already underway [4] [1] [2] [3].