Donald Trump will mark his 500th day back in the White House with a record that no POTUS wants.
According to The Economist’s tracker of YouGov polling, the president’s net approval rating has slumped to -25pts, making him the most unpopular US president recorded by the tracker since it began monitoring public opinion back in 2009.
Just 35% of Americans currently approve of Trump’s performance in the job, while an intimidating 60% actively disapprove of it.
Those really aren’t reassuring numbers for the 79-year-old or his staff.
Tomorrow’s 500 day mark arrives with plenty of warning signs for the White House.
More than half of Americans now believe that the war in Iran was the wrong decision in hindsight, according to this recent polling.
Yet it’s the economy that actually appears to be causing Trump the biggest problems. An area that the president is supposed to excel in.
Three-quarters of Americans now describe economic conditions in the United States as either ‘fair’ or ‘poor’. While 59% believe that the economy is getting worse.
Inflation remains a particular weak spot for the president. Trump’s net approval rating for his handling of prices has fallen to -43, the lowest score of his current spell in power.
When Americans are asked about the country’s biggest problem, inflation and prices top the list. Around three in 10 respondents say that rising costs are their main daily worry, a fair bit ahead of things like jobs, healthcare, immigration and any other issues they face.
That presents a pretty hefty challenge for a president who returned to office promising to bring down prices and to boost prosperity.
The polling also suggests that dissatisfaction with the Commander-in-Chief stretches beyond the voters who would be expected to oppose him.
The Economist says that its state-by-state projections show negative ratings even in some traditionally red states that backed Trump in the 2024 election.
There are also a couple of signs that some traditionally quite reliable Republican groups are less enthusiastic than might be expected.
Younger voters, ethnic minorities and university graduates are among the groups most likely to disapprove of Trump’s performance.
White voters and men are among the groups most likely to approve of his performance, although the polling suggests that Trump support has softened in some areas that have traditionally leaned pretty heavily Republican.
Despite the gloomy national numbers, Trump continues to dominate Republican politics. So the news isn’t all that disastrous for The Oval Office.
Candidates backed by the president have enjoyed a series of primary victories ahead of November’s midterm elections. Among them is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who secured the Republican nomination for a Senate seat after receiving Trump’s endorsement.
The contrast highlights President Trump’s fairly unusual political position. His grip on the Republican Party remains firm even as his national approval ratings continue to slide.
That disconnect could become increasingly important as the midterm elections draw ever closer. The Economist’s forecasting model currently gives Democrats a strong chance of retaking control of the House of Representatives, although the battle for the Senate remains much tighter.
500 days in, Trump remains firmly in charge of the Republican Party. The polls suggest the rest of America, however, is a somewhat tougher sell.