As we mark 100 days into Trump’s second presidency, it has become apparent that the highs of approval ratings he once enjoyed are undergoing a significant change. While he managed to maintain a steady approval rating in the initial months — even achieving personal record figures at times — new poll statistics indicate a different narrative.
The latest CBS News/YouGov poll suggests that about 61% of citizens think that Trump is delivering on his campaign promises, while a significant 39% feel that the reality is far from what was pledged. This sizable dissenting demographic is not something that can be brushed aside without further scrutiny.
From an economic perspective, the Trump administration appears to be grossly lacking in its attention to essential things like price regulation. An overwhelming 69% of Americans feel that the team isn’t focusing enough on this issue. Simultaneously, a similar number — 62% — think there’s an overemphasis on tariff establishment, showing the administration’s misplaced priorities causing dissatisfaction amongst the populace.
People’s personal financial situations under Trump’s administration paint a grim picture, according to the polls. A slight 19% believe they are better off because of his policies, while a concerning 48% claim they’re on the losing end. A significant 33% of responders were indifferent, saying they haven’t experienced any changes in their financial status.
Trump’s total job approval rating has unfortunately tumbled to 45%, with 55% of the respondents expressing their disapproval. This figure is a steep decline from 53% of approval in early February. The steady decrease in approval, which fell to 51% in March and 47% in April, evidences the souring public sentiment.
In terms of immigration, Trump’s policies find little favor. Only 49% approve of his management of the situation, with 51% expressing their disapproval. While some might argue that his policies have affected border crossings, the overall sentiment seems to be negative.
Asking Democratic voters how their party’s response to the Trump presidency made them feel revealed an overwhelming mood of distress and anxiety, with 66% expressing frustration and 53% admitting to feelings of nervousness. The Democrats’ reactions are another sharp signal toward the administration’s failure to generate a sense of unity and confidence among the public.
Notably, on the Rasmussen Reports’ recent polling, Trump’s approval ratings continued to falter, hitting 47%, while disapproval rates rose to 51%. Furthermore, the NY Times/Sienna poll indicated a 42% approval rating and a disapproval rating of 54%, denoting a worrying majority disapproval concerning key issues like the economy and immigration.
And it’s not only about Trump. When the focus shifted to Democratic leadership in a Quantus Insights poll, Kamala Harris led the 2028 primary field with just 30%, indicating no strong contenders on the Democratic side. The lack of equally compelling leaders has certainly raised questions around the effectiveness of the Democratic party.
RealClear Polling, which represents an average across 16 different polling organizations, shows Trump’s favorability falling further to a low of 45.1%. The 52.5% disapproval stands as a stark indicator of the public’s dissatisfaction with his administration as of April 29, marking his lowest overall approval rating this term so far.
An interesting tidbit emerged when data analysts posed a question to Trump voters about whether they would change their vote if given a do-over. Unsurprisingly, only 2% said they would have cast their vote differently, while just 1% said they would have opted not to vote at all.
Providing some perspective on this, the host added, ‘The bottom line is for all the talk of Trump voters regretting their vote, in the numbers, it simply doesn’t show up.’ Therefore, the question remains as to whether a vote re-run would really make much of a difference or if the political division in the country runs too deep.
Whether it’s the woeful financial improvements, misplaced concerns, plummeting approval ratings, or mismanaged immigration issues, both Trump and the ineffectual Democratic leaders have failed to assure the public. Should we dare to be hopeful for a political turnaround in the future? The current climate gives us little reason to be so.