Trending Now - Polling Analyst Highlights Major Decline in Trump's Approval Ratings

WHO:

Alternet - Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight, is a polling expert analyzing Trump's approval ratings.

Newsweek - Nate Silver is identified as a statistician and political analyst.

WHAT:

Boston.com - A survey found that 33% of Americans disapprove of Trump's performance in office, driven by concerns over the economy, foreign policy, and immigration.

Alternet - Trump's average approval rating has dipped beneath 40 percent for the first time in his second term.

Alternet - Trump's net approval rating is now -17.4, a new low, down about 5 points over the past several weeks.

Newsweek - Trump's approval rating has hit a second-term low of 39.7 percent, with multiple polls showing similar declines.

WHEN:

Alternet - Key races across the country in April and May 2026 will test voter sentiment regarding Trump and his agenda, with specific elections including a special election runoff in North Georgia and a Wisconsin State Supreme Court election.

Alternet - Trump's average approval rating has been decreasing since January 2025, when he returned to office with an average net approval of 10 points.

Alternet - Silver's post indicating the drop in approval ratings was made in March 2026.

WHY:

Alternet - If Trump-backed candidates lose or win narrowly in upcoming elections, it could be "devastating to the president’s image" and drain him of political capital.

Alternet - Skyrocketing gas prices resulting from Trump's war with Iran are suggested as a factor impacting his approval rating.

Alternet - Silver notes that Trump is facing many significant issues, including erosion among his base, with only 22 percent of Americans having a strongly favorable view of him.

HOW:

Alternet - Trump is attempting to influence Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his order to redraw electoral districts, which local voters opposed.

Alternet - Silver provided a graph showing the overall movement of Trump's average approval rating on FiveThirtyEight since his return to the White House.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 21:09 UTC)

A recent survey revealed that 33% of Americans disapprove of Trump's performance in office, with concerns primarily focused on the economy, foreign policy, and immigration. Key races across the country in April and May 20th26, including a special election runoff in North Georgia and a Wisconsin State Supreme Court election, will serve as a litmus test for voter sentiment regarding Trump and his agenda. As Trump works to sway Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his order to redraw electoral districts, the outcomes of these elections could significantly impact his political capital and public image.

--

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 19:22 UTC)

Nate Silver, the founder of FiveThirtyEight and a noted polling expert, has reported that Trump's average approval rating has dipped below 40 percent for the first time in his second term, now sitting at a low of 39.7 percent with a net approval rating of -17.4. This decline, which has been ongoing since January 20th25, is attributed to various factors, including skyrocketing gas prices linked to Trump's war with Iran and a significant erosion of support among his base, with only 22 percent of Americans expressing a strongly favorable view of him. Silver has illustrated this trend with a graph on FiveThirtyEight, highlighting the overall movement of Trump's approval ratings since he returned to the White House.