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What is trumps approval rating currently?
Executive summary
Polls taken in early to mid‑November 2025 show President Donald Trump’s approval clustered in the high‑30s to low‑40s, with several major trackers reporting around 37–42% approval and disapproval generally above 50% (for example, CNN/SSRS at 37% [1] and Nate Silver’s average at 41.8% approval with 54.4% disapproval [2]). Single surveys vary — AP‑NORC finds only 33% approve of his management of the federal government [3] while Morning Consult and others report mid‑40s in some samples [4] [5] — underscoring meaningful spread depending on pollster and question [6].
1. A shifting snapshot: why a single “current” number is elusive
Different pollsters ask different questions (approval of “job performance” vs. “managing the federal government”), sample different populations (adults vs. registered or likely voters), and field at different dates; that produces a range of recent results from roughly the low‑30s to mid‑40s approval (AP‑NORC 33% on government management [3]; CNN/SSRS 37% job approval cited by NYT [1]; Nate Silver average 41.8% [2]; Morning Consult showing 44% in a poll cited by Newsweek [4]). Emerson’s national poll showed a drop from 45% in October to the low‑40s in early November [6]. Those method differences, not a single error, explain much of the spread [6].
2. Which polls are at the low end — and what they measured
Surveys focused narrowly on “managing the federal government” during the government shutdown put Trump nearer the low‑30s: AP‑NORC’s November poll found only about a third (33%) approving of his management of the federal government [3] [7]. News outlets noted sharp declines among independents and even among Republicans in that survey, which amplifies the low reading on the question of government management [3].
3. Which polls show higher approval — and why they differ
Other trackers and weekly‑rolling averages give higher numbers. Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin daily average reported 41.8% approval and 54.4% disapproval as of Nov. 14, 2025 [2]. Morning Consult’s snapshot (Nov. 7–9) put approval around 44% with a -10 net [4]. State‑level and registered/likely voter samples (Morning Consult state trackers, Rasmussen daily snapshots) can also be friendlier, producing readings in the mid‑40s in some windows [5] [8]. These differences reflect sampling frames and timing as well as question wording [5] [8].
4. Trend picture: decline tied to the shutdown and timing
Multiple outlets connect the dip in approval to the government shutdown and its duration: CNN/SSRS and AP‑NORC comparisons show approval falling since earlier in the term, and several pollsters documented declines in November coinciding with the prolonged shutdown [1] [3] [4]. Emerson reported a four‑point drop from October to early November [6]. Those reporting trends argue the shutdown’s political cost is a major short‑term driver [4] [3].
5. Internal splits: supporters still more positive, but erosion exists
Even where aggregate approval is weak, core supporters remain strongly favorable in many surveys: YouGov/Economist found very high approval among those who voted for Trump in 2024 (e.g., +70 net among his voters), though Newsweek and others noted that even that subgroup showed modest erosion compared with summer readings [9]. AP‑NORC also found declines among self‑identified Republicans, suggesting cracks in base enthusiasm in some polls [10] [3].
6. What “net approval” vs. “approval” means — and reported examples
“Approval” usually reports the share who approve; “net approval” subtracts disapprove from approve. For example, Nate Silver’s average reported 41.8% approve and 54.4% disapprove (a net around -12) [2]. Morning Consult reported 44% approve and 54% disapprove (net -10) in its Nov. 7–9 poll cited by Newsweek [4]. Different outlets emphasize either the raw approval share or the net, so comparing headlines without noting which is used can mislead [2] [4].
7. How to interpret this if you need a single number now
Available reporting does not offer one universally accepted “current” approval figure — credible trackers cluster in the high‑30s to low‑40s for approve with many disapprove figures above 50% [1] [2] [4] [3]. If you want a single quick reference, major aggregators cited here put him roughly 37–42% approve as of early‑to‑mid November 2025 (CNN/SSRS 37% cited by NYT [1]; Nate Silver’s average 41.8% [2]), but be explicit about which poll or average you mean because other reputable polls report lower or higher values [3] [4].
Limitations and note on sourcing: this analysis uses polling and reporting published in early to mid‑November 2025; results vary by pollster, question wording, sample frame and field dates [6] [1]. Available sources do not mention a single, definitive “official” approval rating beyond these independent polls and aggregates.