Donald Trump's Low Approval Rating 'Concerning': Polling Expert
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President Donald Trump's low approval ratings are "concerning," a polling expert has said.
Speaking on the Politics War Room podcast with political strategist James Carville and journalist Al Hunt, Alexander Theodoridis, associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) reacted to recent polling about the President and said Trump was facing "low and concerning approval numbers"
Why It Matters
Approval ratings are useful in providing a snapshot of the electorate's mood at any one time and in the first six months of his presidency, Trump's popularity has fluctuated.
Maintaining broad support will be of key importance when voters head to the midterm elections in November 2026, particularly in swing states where every vote matters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, watches as President Donald Trump departs an event to mark National Purple Heart Day in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Washington.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, watches as President Donald Trump departs an event to mark National Purple Heart Day in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Washington.
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
What To Know
Theodoridis' comments come after his university, UMass Amherst, released a poll this week which found that Trump has an overall approval rating of net -20 points. This is six points lower than the pollster's April survey.
With a 3.5 percent margin of error, the survey of 1,000 people conducted between July 25 and July 30 also found that Trump's approval rating among men has dropped from 48 percent in April to 39 percent in July.
Meanwhile, other polls have also painted a concerning picture. According to a YouGov polling for U.K. newspaper The Times, the proportion of people who disapprove of Trump's job performance has increased from 52 percent in April to 57 percent in July.
Newsweek analysis also revealed that Trump's approval rating is positive in 18 of the states he won in the 2024 election, and negative in 13.
On the podcast, Theodoridis added that the most important issues affecting voters were the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and frustrations with Russia's continuing war with Ukraine, which Trump pledged to end during his campaign.
"There's a negative feeling about things," he said. "People don't like chaos."
"There's material out there that Democrats can find success in 2025 and 2026 with mostly just in frustration with the current administration and with Congress," he said.
What People Are Saying
Heath Brown, an associate professor of public policy at City University of New York told Newsweek: "These numbers are concerning if you believe the public's approval of the President's agenda and actions matter. I think most Americans see it this way.
"When polls move in the negative direction it suggests the public is losing confidence in the President to make the right decisions in their best interests. Presidents historically have read this has a good reason to change direction and respond to public sentiments. This is one of the levers of democracy."
Carville said on the podcast about Trump's polling: "This is really bad news."
What Happens Next
Trump's popularity is likely to fluctuate throughout the remainder of his presidency. Whether he can turn negative polling around in that time frame remains to be seen.
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