Trending Now - GOP Faces Dilemma: Trusting Data or Rallying Behind Trump
WHO:
CNN - Chief of staff Susie Wiles and James Blair are involved in strategizing for the midterm elections.
CNN - Chris LaCivita, Jason Miller, and Tony Fabrizio attended a recent meeting regarding electoral strategy.
Alternet - President Donald Trump is the subject of the analysis.
AP-NORC - Vice President JD Vance is mentioned in relation to public views.
WHAT:
CNN - Trump’s political team is planning an electoral push centered on contrasting the two parties' platforms rather than a direct referendum on Trump’s presidency.
CNN - Virginia voters approved a redistricting referendum that could net Democrats an additional four congressional seats in November 2026.
CNN - Trump’s advisers have acknowledged that the president has lost significant ground with voters over the last year.
Fox News - A Fox News poll indicates that 56% of voters believe the Trump administration has not been competent at managing the federal government.
Fox News - Only 43% of voters think the White House has been competent at running the government.
Fox News - Trump's job ratings for handling immigration are at 46% approval and 54% disapproval, for China at 42% approval and 57% disapproval, for foreign policy at 40% approval and 60% disapproval, for Iran at 37% approval and 63% disapproval, for the economy at 34% approval and 66% disapproval, for government spending at 33% approval and 67% disapproval, and for inflation at 28% approval and 72% disapproval.
Fox News - Trump's overall job performance approval is at 42%, with 58% disapproving, compared to 41% approval and 59% disapproval in March 2026.
Fox News - Vice President JD Vance's job rating is at 44% approval and 55% disapproval, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio's is at 44% approval and 56% disapproval, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s is at 41% approval and 58% disapproval.
Fox News - 60% of voters believe Trump lacks the right temperament to serve effectively, an increase from 52% before the 2024 election.
Fox News - 55% of voters say Trump does not have the mental soundness to serve, which is up 7 points since late 2024.
Alternet - Trump’s job approval rating is at 36 percent according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Alternet - An Associated Press national poll shows Trump’s approval rating at 33 percent.
AP-NORC - Only 30 percent approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 38 percent in March 2026.
AP-NORC - 23 percent approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 76 percent disapprove.
AP-NORC - 73 percent of Americans describe the economy as poor, up from 66 percent in February 2026.
AP-NORC - Trump’s favorability remains at 33 percent, compared to 34 percent in February 2026.
WHERE:
AP-NORC - The nationwide poll was conducted in the United States.
WHEN:
CNN - The meeting with Trump’s advisers took place earlier in the week of April 21st, 2026.
AP-NORC - The poll was conducted from April 16th to April 20th, 2026.
AP-NORC - The approval rating figures are compared to those from March 2026 and February 2026.
WHY:
Alternet - The decline in Trump’s approval is attributed to unfulfilled promises regarding inflation and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
HOW:
CNN - Attendees at the meeting were required to sign nondisclosure agreements to maintain secrecy around Trump’s political operation.
AP-NORC - The poll utilized the AmeriSpeak® Panel, a probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago, conducting online and telephone interviews with 2,596 adults. The overall margin of sampling error is +/- 3.4 percentage points.
(UPDATED April 23, 2026 01:22 UTC)
Trump's political team is gearing up for the midterm elections with a strategy focused on contrasting party platforms instead of a direct referendum on his presidency. Earlier in the week, key advisers, including Susie Wiles, James Blair, Chris LaCivita, Jason Miller, and Tony Fabrizio, met to discuss this approach, with attendees signing nondisclosure agreements to keep details under wraps. Meanwhile, in Virginia, voters approved a redistricting referendum that could potentially give Democrats an extra four congressional seats in November 20th26, a development that comes as Trump's advisers recognize he has lost significant ground with voters over the past year.
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(UPDATED April 22, 2026 23:15 UTC)
A new Fox News poll reveals that 56% of voters believe Trump has not been competent in managing the federal government, with only 43% expressing confidence in the White House's performance. Trump's overall job approval stands at 42%, with 58% disapproving, and his ratings on various issues, including immigration and the economy, show significant disapproval, particularly with inflation at just 28% approval. Additionally, 60% of voters feel Trump lacks the right temperament for the job, and 55% question his mental soundness, both figures reflecting a notable increase since late 2024.
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(UPDATED April 22, 2026 19:28 UTC)
President Trump is currently facing a decline in his job approval ratings, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing 36 percent approval and an Associated Press national poll indicating a slightly lower figure at 33 percent. Only 30 percent of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, down from 38 percent last month, and a staggering 73 percent describe the economy as poor, a rise from 66 percent in February. The nationwide poll, conducted from on Thursday to on Monday, surveyed 2,596 adults and highlights concerns over unfulfilled promises regarding inflation and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.