President Donald Trump’s public approval rating has resumed a downward trend, dropping to a new low for his second term. The latest survey from Marquette University Law School, conducted between September 2 and 9 among 1,023 U.S. adults, recorded a 37% approval rating, a three-percentage-point decrease since the university’s July assessment. This result marks the president’s weakest standing in the school’s tracking metrics since his return to the White House in early 2025, falling below the previous record low of 38% set in June.
Beyond the top-line numbers, the poll revealed a consistent decline in the intensity of support for the president. At the onset of his second term, 29% of respondents expressed strong approval for his performance; that figure has since eroded to just 15%.
The findings also indicate a significant political shift that could favor Democrats in upcoming midterms. Among likely voters, Democrats now hold a 13-point lead over Republicans on a generic congressional ballot, a seven-point expansion compared to July. Support among registered voters shows a similar trend, with Democrats leading by 12 points, up from a two-point margin earlier in the summer. Conversely, Republican support on the generic ballot has slipped four percentage points since July.
Public confidence in the administration’s handling of core policy issues has also diminished. Approval ratings for Trump dropped across eight specific areas: border security, immigration, foreign policy, tariffs, the economy, the war with Iran, gas prices, and inflation. Notably, approval for his management of immigration and border security fell below 50%. Only 19% of respondents approve of his approach to inflation and the cost of living, while 20% support his handling of gas prices. These metrics track with rising fuel costs, as the American Automobile Association reported the national average price per gallon reached $4.36 on September 16, reflecting a sharp increase from the previous year.
Despite these findings, there is some variance in recent polling. A separate Reuters/Ipsos survey released September 14 indicated a modest recovery for the president, showing his approval at 35%—a two-point increase following three weeks of record-low tracking numbers. However, even in that survey, the GOP trailed Democrats by seven points, the widest gap recorded in the second term. The report also notes that at the beginning of Trump’s second term, 29% of Americans said they strongly approved of the president; today, that number sits at 15%, according to Marquette University’s poll. The report also notes that the poll’s margin of error was 3.3 percentage points. The report also notes that as Trump continues to struggle with his approval rating among Americans, Tuesday’s poll shows Democrats may have increased their chances to control the House of Representatives and Senate ahead of November’s midterms. The report also notes that major polling averages continue to place Trump in negative territory overall, while individual polls vary. The report also notes that fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for. The report also notes that reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Polling Averages as of September 16
- RealClearPolitics: 40% approve, 57.8% disapprove
- New York Times: 39% approve, 58% disapprove
- Silver Bulletin: 38.4% approve, 58.5% disapprove