Summary
President Donald Trump has seen declining approval ratings in early 2026, especially among independent voters, key religious groups, and on economic issues. Polls show that his approval remains below disapproval despite events like the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Key Facts
- President Trump’s approval ratings dropped notably among independent voters, from near even split in January 2025 to 25% approval vs. 66% disapproval in February 2026.
- His support among Christian voters turned negative for the first time according to a March 2026 Fox News poll.
- The dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January 2026 did not boost Trump’s approval ratings.
- Major polls (Reuters/Ipsos, YouGov/The Economist, Rasmussen) showed Trump’s approval remained below disapproval after the Maduro event.
- Despite polling challenges, the White House stated that the true measure of support is the November 2024 election, where nearly 80 million Americans voted for Trump.
- Polling margins of error range around 2.5 to 3.5 percentage points, based on surveys of roughly 1,000 to 1,500 adults.
- The midterm election year tends to harden public opinions rather than shift them, making current polling trends important for November.
- Pollsters found that key voter groups crucial to Republican chances in upcoming elections have grown increasingly negative toward Trump’s presidency.
