Donald Trump Finds His Approval Rating Sinking Once More
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
President Donald Trump's approval rating on the economy is sinking, according to new polling.
Pollster G. Elliott Morris' tracker shows that on the issue of the economy, Trump's approval rating is underwater by 15.75 points. That is down from -14.94 points on Monday.
When Morris' tracker first launched in January, Trump's approval rating on the economy was well above water, at +8.24 points.
On the issue of inflation, Trump's approval rating stands at -22.24 points. That is down from +1.99 points in January.
Why It Matters
While this downturn hasn't returned to the all-time low of -16.28 percent net approval recorded on May 8, the trend comes despite Trump's recent move to scale back the tariffs that saw his approval ratings plummet in April amid economic anxiety.
That the numbers are falling again suggests voters remain unconvinced by the administration's course correction—and that concerns over rising prices, trade instability, and mixed signals from the White House continue to overshadow any efforts to reset the economic narrative.
What To Know
While Morris' tracker shows that Trump's approval rating on the economy is trending downward, pollster Nate Silver's tracker tells a different story.
Silver's tracker shows that in the past few days, Trump has been trending upward on the economy, with his approval currently standing at -10 points, up from -11.3 points on June 1.
However, similar to Morris' tracker, Silver's tracker shows that Trump's net approval rating on the economy has trended downwards dramatically since January, when it stood at +6 points.
The same trend occurs for Trump's net approval rating on inflation, which has trended upward in the past few days, from 19.7 on May 1 to 17.1 as of June 3, but has dropped from -6 points in January.
Individual polls show that Americans remain sharply divided over Trump's handling of the economy during his second term. While some surveys indicate modest approval, others reveal significant dissatisfaction—highlighting the ongoing polarization of public opinion on one of the administration's most critical issues.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the rain after arriving on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on May 30, 2025.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the rain after arriving on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on May 30, 2025.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
According to polling conducted between May 21 and June 2, 2025, economic job approval ratings for Trump range from a low of 37 percent to a high of 47 percent, with disapproval rates consistently higher in most surveys.
The latest poll by AtlasIntel (May 21-27) shows Trump with just 42 percent approval on the economy and 54 percent disapproval, resulting in a net -12 percent rating. Similarly, RMG Research (May 28-29) recorded 44 percent approval and 55 percent disapproval, also yielding a net -11 percent score.
Other pollsters, like YouGov and John Zogby Strategies, reported a slightly narrower gap. Zogby's poll from May 28-29 showed a 46-50 percent split, or a net -4 percent, indicating a more divided sentiment among likely voters.
Only Morning Consult recorded a relatively neutral economic approval rating for the president, with 47 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving in its most recent surveys conducted between May 30 and June 2. This suggests a degree of economic support stability, though not a clear advantage.
At the bottom end, the American Research Group poll (May 17-20) gave Trump just 37 percent approval compared to 60 percent disapproval, marking a net -23 percent—the steepest negative margin in the group.
Meanwhile, polls show that Trump continues to face strong headwinds on the issue of inflation, with net approval ratings on the topic deeply negative—despite attempts by his administration to scale back tariffs, having paused the majority of them.
Across national surveys conducted between May 1 and June 2, 2025, Trump's approval rating on inflation remains persistently low, ranging from just 31 percent to 44 percent. Disapproval consistently outpaces approval by double digits, with net ratings ranging from -7 percent (Harris/Harvard CAPS) to -32 percent (Verasight and Marquette Law School). In the most recent YouGov poll (May 30-June 2), just 39 percent approved of Trump's handling of inflation, while 54 percent disapproved—netting a -15 percent margin.
The latest data from Verasight and Marquette University underscore the depth of discontent: only 31 percent and 34 percent of respondents, respectively, approved of Trump's inflation policies, while roughly two-thirds disapproved. That puts Trump's net approval at -32 percent in both surveys, among the worst marks recorded in this cycle.
It comes after the pace of inflation slowed in April, the month that Trump introduced his tariffs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said last month. The annual inflation rate was 2.3 percent in April, down from an annual rate of 2.4 percent March.
Meanwhile, consumer confidence saw a surprising increase in May. The Conference Board reported a rise to 98, much higher than both the expected 87.1 and April's 86 reading. It was the biggest one-month jump in more than a year.
Nonetheless, polls still show that voters don't trust Trump on the economy. In the latest Fox News poll from April, 72 percent said they were "very" or "extremely" worried about the economy entering a recession this year.
What Happens Next
Trump's approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the evolving tariff situation and concerns about a recession.
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