Trump Approval Dips

President Donald Trump is facing another difficult round of polling as Americans express growing dissatisfaction with his job performance and deep concern about the direction of the United States.

A new Economist/YouGov poll conducted Aug. 7-10 found that 33% of U.S. adult citizens approve of Trump’s performance as president, while 62% disapprove.

Trump’s approval rating fell three percentage points from the previous week’s survey.

The results provide an important snapshot of the political environment heading toward the November midterm elections, when voters will decide control of Congress.

Although Trump continues to receive strong support from Republican voters, the poll suggests that independents remain a major political challenge for the president and the GOP.

At the same time, Americans are expressing widespread concern about whether the country is moving in the right direction.

Trump’s Approval Rating Falls to 33%

The latest Economist/YouGov survey found a sizable gap between Americans who approve and disapprove of Trump’s presidency.

Just 33% approve, compared with 62% who disapprove.

The strength of those opinions is also noteworthy.

According to the survey:

• 17% strongly approve of Trump’s job performance.
• 50% strongly disapprove.
• Overall approval stands at 33%.
• Overall disapproval stands at 62%.

The results continue a period of challenging national polling for the president.

Earlier measurements from The Economist’s polling tracker, which incorporates YouGov data, also showed Trump’s net approval rating deeply underwater.

But national numbers only tell part of the story.

A closer look at the poll reveals significant differences between Republicans, Democrats and independent voters.

Republican Voters Remain Strongly Behind Trump

Trump continues to maintain considerable loyalty within his own party.

The poll found that 79% of Republicans approve of his job performance, compared with 21% who disapprove.

That strong Republican support remains one of Trump’s biggest political advantages.

For conservative voters, issues including border security, illegal immigration, crime, taxes, government spending and the economy are likely to remain central as the midterm campaign intensifies.

The more immediate concern for Republicans may not be Trump’s standing with the party faithful.

It is his performance among independents.

Independent Voters Could Be a Major Warning Sign for Republicans

Independent voters gave Trump some of his weakest numbers in the survey.

Only 18% of independents approve of the president’s job performance, while 71% disapprove.

That 53-point difference could matter considerably in competitive House and Senate races.

Midterm elections are frequently decided by relatively narrow margins in battleground states and congressional districts. Republicans therefore need more than enthusiastic support from committed GOP voters to maximize their chances of maintaining control of Congress.

Winning over independents — including voters concerned about household finances, public safety and immigration — could become one of the party’s biggest challenges before Election Day.

Trump Faces Negative Ratings Among Men and Women

The president’s difficulties extend across several demographic groups.

The poll found 59% of men disapprove of Trump’s performance.

Among women, 66% disapprove.

Younger adults are particularly negative toward the president. Among Americans ages 18 to 29, 68% disapprove and 27% approve.

College graduates also gave Trump poor marks, with 69% disapproving and 27% approving.

Those numbers illustrate the challenge facing Republican candidates attempting to broaden their coalition while maintaining enthusiasm among Trump’s core supporters.

Trump Performs Better on Immigration and Crime

There is more encouraging news for the president when Americans are asked about individual issues.

Trump’s approval rating on immigration stands at 40%, seven points higher than his overall job approval.

Another 53% disapprove of his handling of immigration.

The president receives similar results on crime, with 40% approving and 50% disapproving.

While neither issue gives Trump a positive approval rating, both produce stronger results than his overall job-performance numbers.

That distinction could help explain why Republican candidates continue to emphasize border security, immigration enforcement and public safety on the campaign trail.

For many older and conservative voters, these issues remain closely connected to larger questions about government effectiveness, community safety and the rule of law.

Race Relations Remain a Weak Point

Trump receives substantially weaker marks on race relations.

The poll found 30% approve of his handling of race relations, compared with 55% who disapprove.

The results demonstrate how dramatically public opinion can vary depending on the issue.

For Republicans heading into the midterms, that makes the selection of campaign issues particularly important.

Candidates will have to decide whether to nationalize their races around Trump’s record or focus more heavily on local concerns and policy areas where conservative positions may attract broader support.

65% Say America Is on the Wrong Track

Trump’s approval rating may not be the most consequential number in the entire survey.

When Americans were asked about the overall direction of the country, 65% said the United States is on the wrong track.

Only 24% said America is headed in the right direction.

That level of pessimism presents both an opportunity and a risk for Republicans.

The opportunity comes from voters who may be frustrated with government institutions, economic conditions, crime or immigration and remain receptive to a conservative message promising change.

The risk is that Trump currently occupies the White House, meaning dissatisfied voters could also hold his administration and Republican lawmakers responsible for conditions in the country.

That political tension could become increasingly important as Election Day approaches.

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans Say Things Are “Out of Control”

Another finding underscores the depth of public frustration.

According to the survey, 69% of respondents said things in the country are “out of control.”

Only 15% said conditions are under control.

Perhaps more significant for the White House is the response from Trump’s own voters.

Among Americans who supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 47% said the country is currently out of control.

That does not necessarily mean those voters have abandoned Trump or intend to support Democrats.

In fact, Trump’s 79% approval rating among Republicans indicates that the president continues to command substantial loyalty within the GOP.

But the findings suggest that some members of Trump’s coalition are unhappy with current conditions even if they continue to support the president personally.

Why Trump’s Poll Numbers Matter for the Midterm Elections

The political stakes are considerable.

Control of Congress will be decided in November, and both parties will be fighting over a relatively small group of persuadable voters in competitive states and congressional districts.

Republicans will likely seek to make the election a choice between competing agendas rather than simply a referendum on Trump’s presidency.

Issues such as inflation, the cost of groceries and utilities, retirement security, taxes, border enforcement, government spending and crime could prove especially important among Americans over 50.

Democrats, meanwhile, have an obvious incentive to focus attention on Trump’s national approval numbers and broader dissatisfaction with the country’s direction.

The battle may ultimately come down to which party voters trust more to address the problems affecting their everyday lives.

Older Americans Could Play an Important Role

Americans over 50 traditionally represent an important segment of the electorate because older citizens tend to participate consistently in elections.

For these voters, political debates often extend beyond partisan personalities.

Household expenses, Social Security, Medicare, retirement savings, property taxes, healthcare costs, energy prices, public safety and the stability of the economy can have immediate consequences for families living on fixed or retirement incomes.

That makes the public’s broader dissatisfaction especially significant.

If Americans believe their financial circumstances and communities are improving by November, Republicans could benefit from a changing national mood.

If voters continue to believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, GOP candidates could face a more difficult political environment.

Trump’s Republican Base Remains a Major Strength

Despite the negative headlines surrounding the national numbers, one fact should not be overlooked: Trump has retained the overwhelming support of Republican voters.

Nearly eight in 10 Republicans surveyed approve of his performance.

That provides Trump and Republican candidates with a substantial base of voters heading into the final months of the midterm campaign.

The question is whether that base will be enough.

Republicans may need to combine strong conservative turnout with improved support among independents, suburban voters and Americans primarily concerned with economic conditions.

What to Watch Before November

Polls represent snapshots of public opinion rather than predictions of election results.

Trump’s numbers could improve or deteriorate substantially before Americans vote.

Several factors could influence the political environment, including inflation, employment, consumer confidence, immigration, crime, international events and the overall strength of the economy.

Republicans will be watching especially closely for movement among independent voters.

If Trump’s numbers with independents improve, GOP candidates could enter the final stretch of the campaign in a stronger position.

If dissatisfaction remains near current levels, Democrats will likely argue that the midterms offer voters an opportunity to put a check on the Republican administration.

Bottom Line

The latest Economist/YouGov poll delivers a clear warning for President Trump and congressional Republicans.

Trump retains strong support among Republicans, and his approval numbers on immigration and crime are better than his overall rating.

But his 33% overall approval rating, combined with heavy disapproval among independents and widespread pessimism about the country’s direction, creates a challenging political environment.

The survey found 65% believe America is on the wrong track, while 69% describe conditions in the country as out of control.

For Republicans, the path forward may depend on convincing voters that the administration’s policies are producing tangible improvements on the issues that matter most to American households.

For Democrats, the strategy is likely to be the opposite: turn dissatisfaction with Trump and the country’s direction into a reason for voters to change the balance of power in Congress.

With the November midterms approaching, the contest for independent voters — and Americans worried about their finances, communities and the country’s future — could determine which party emerges with the advantage.