Americans Turn Cold? Trump’s Second-Term Approval Rating Plunges To Record Low

People across the U.S. express uncertainty over Trump’s economic and immigration policies.

U.S. President Donald Trump (File photo: Reuters via ANI)

Washington: President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 40 percent, marking the lowest point of his second term. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals a sharp dip in public support, driven largely by growing dissatisfaction over immigration and uneven confidence in the economy.

The national poll spanned three days and surveyed 1,023 U.S. adults. It carried a margin of error of 3 percentage points. The decline follows a previous rating of 41 percent, recorded in mid-July.

Sharp Divide Across Party Lines

The latest findings highlight deep national divisions. Within the Republican base, 83 percent continue to back Trump. Among Democrats, approval stands at just 3 percent. About one in three independents said they support his performance.

Trump’s numbers reflect a polarised country. The president promised to reinvigorate the U.S. economy and enforce strict immigration measures. Public reaction to both has remained mixed.

Immigration Now a Growing Weakness

Trump’s approach to immigration is facing new scrutiny. Once a political stronghold, it is now becoming a vulnerability.

In March, immigration was one of the few issues where the president was outperforming his national approval. At the time, half of Americans supported his handling of the issue. That support has eroded.

A CNN/SSRS poll shows that 55 percent of Americans now believe the president has gone too far in deporting undocumented immigrants. The number reflects a 10-point increase since February.

“I understand wanting to get rid of illegal immigrants, but the way that is being done is very aggressive,” said Donovan Baldwin, 18, of Asheboro, North Carolina, as cited by Al-Jazeera.

He did not vote in the 2024 election. “And that is why people are protesting, because it comes off as aggression. It is not right,” he further said.

Slight Uptick in Economic Approval

Trump’s handling of the economy received slightly better marks. Approval on this issue has risen to 38 percent, up from 35 percent in mid-July. Still, that figure trails far behind where the president stood at earlier points in his presidency.

The polling suggests a complicated picture. Some Americans support the administration’s tough-on-border approach. Others feel pushed away by the tactics.

On the economy, there is modest improvement, but not enough to lift the president’s overall standing.

With the public mood shifting, Trump faces the difficult task of regaining trust. The latest approval drop signals a moment of political vulnerability, just as debates around immigration intensify.