President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has gone negative in another poll released Wednesday. Experts told Newsweek where his problem may be coming from.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Trump’s approval rating had a longer honeymoon period this time around compared to his first time in office, but polls suggest his support is seeing cracks amid growing backlash to policies like tariffs and the firing of federal workers, as well as Americans shifting blame toward him on the current state of the economy.
His approval is a major indicator of his popularity and political strength ahead of upcoming policy battles and as the Republican Party gears up for the midterms when Democrats are hoping to pick up seats in the House of Representatives and Senate.
What to Know
The new poll from YouGov and The Economist, which surveyed 1,618 adults from March 16 to March 18, 2025, showed Trump’s approval as being underwater for the first time in a month.
Fifty percent of respondents said they disapprove of Trump’s job performance, compared to 45 percent of those who said they still approve of his second term.
Earlier in March, a YouGov/The Economist poll showed Trump’s approval at a net zero, with 47 percent of respondents each saying they approve and disapprove of his job performance. That poll surveyed 1,699 adults from March 9 to March 11, 2025.
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National security remained Trump’s strongest issue, with 51 percent of respondents saying they approve of his handling of the matter. At 50 percent approval, immigration followed, while crime placed third at 48 percent approval for Trump.
Americans are least impressed with Trump’s handling of inflation, according to the poll, which found that only 42 percent of respondents said they approve of him on that issue. Meanwhile, 43 percent approved of his handling of criminal justice reform, and 44 percent each approved of him on foreign policy and education.
Chandler James, a professor of political science at the University of Oregon, told Newsweek it’s unsurprising that Trump’s approval has dropped, pointing to issues of tariffs and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as key issues that may be driving down his support.
“The period after [presidents] are inaugurated until the first 100 days or so is often described as the honeymoon period. This is a period in which Americans have rallied around the president and are most supportive of their agenda following an election,” he said.
Trump’s support has always been concentrated among conservatives, and his “polarizing political style” hasn’t connected with Democrats and many moderates, so Trump generally has a “lower” ceiling than many presidents throughout history, James said.
His tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico are creating “uncertainty” among American consumers, who view the cost of living as the most important issue the country is facing,” he said.
“These tariffs raise the prospects of increased inflation,” he said. “I think that has had probably the most significant effect in terms of his decrease in popularity.”
Other pollsters have similarly shown Trump’s approval drop in recent weeks, with an NBC News poll showing a majority of Americans disapproving of his presidency for the first time this week.
Independents Fuel Trump’s Approval Rating Slip
The poll found that independents’ views of Trump are fueling the decline in his approval rating.
In the earlier March poll, Trump’s approval was at -5 with the crucial voting block, with 46 percent disapproving and 41 percent approving.
The latest poll, however, shows that number had dropped to -17, with 37 percent saying they approve of Trump, and 54 percent disapproving.
What People Are Saying
Nate Silver, in a March 13 post to X about his Trump approval tracker: “This is getting to be a reasonably fast decline. We launched last week, and Trump’s approval was +0.5, now it’s -1.7.”
Journalist G. Elliott Morris in a Substack post: “The shift against Trump on the economy is important because (a) it’s a big move in public opinion and (b) it’s a vibe shift, a change in how both people, but importantly the media, understand opinion about him that pre-conditions future electoral backlash.”
What Happens Next
Trump’s approval will likely continue to fluctuate over the coming weeks. Factors that affect his approval could include whether inflation cools a bit, if tariffs go into effect and how negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine war play out.
