President Donald Trump's approval rating fell to 32 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday, September 21, 2026. This mark represents the lowest approval rating of his political career and a 15-point decline from the 47 percent recorded at the start of his second term in January 2025.
The decline comes approximately six weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, where Republicans are defending narrow majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The poll found that registered voters favored Democrats over Republicans 43 percent to 35 percent in their congressional voting intentions. A separate survey by the American Research Group conducted between September 16 and September 20 placed the president’s approval rating at 29 percent.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,277 adults nationwide indicated that economic concerns and foreign policy are primary drivers of the shift. Approval among Republicans dropped to 73 percent from 82 percent the previous week. Only 17 percent of all respondents approved of Trump's handling of the cost of living, while 24 percent supported his approach to the conflict involving Iran. According to the poll, 51 percent of Republicans now disapprove of the president's management of the cost of living, compared to 44 percent who approve.
The scale of the shift is reflected in the 8-point lead held by Democrats in congressional voting intentions, which the poll identifies as their widest margin this year. This represents a change from the beginning of the term when the president’s approval was 15 points higher. The data suggests that specific groups, including Hispanic voters, are also being monitored by Republican lawmakers who have warned that aggressive deportation policies could distance those with family ties to recent immigrants. While 79 percent of Republicans support the president's immigration actions, only 36 percent of the general public shares that view.
The effects of these ratings could alter the trajectory of the final two years of this presidential term. If Republicans lose control of either chamber of Congress, it would complicate the administration’s ability to execute its legislative agenda. The president's approval rating is now lower than any recorded for his predecessor, Joe Biden. What happens next depends on the outcome of the midterm elections on November 3, which will determine control of the House and Senate and establish the legislative environment for the remainder of the administration's term.