Trump's Approval Sinks to Record Low as Midterms Near

President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to the lowest level of his political career just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, with multiple major polls showing him deep underwater across nearly every voter group.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released October 6 found just 32% of Americans approve of Trump's performance — the lowest mark the polling organization has ever recorded for him across either of his terms — while 65% disapprove. The damage was sharpest among Hispanic voters, once a key part of his 2024 coalition: only 24% approved, and just 26% of Hispanic registered voters said they would back Republicans for Congress, versus 52% for Democrats — the largest Democratic advantage Reuters/Ipsos has measured since Trump returned to office.

Other surveys told the same story. A Quinnipiac University poll put Trump's approval at 34%, with 61% disapproving, and found his rating on the economy at 31% — an all-time low for him. A Financial Times–Focaldata poll also found 34% overall approval, with only 25% approving of his handling of jobs and the economy and barely one in five approving of his handling of inflation. Pew Research Center's validated-voter survey measured his net approval at minus 38, including a staggering 57 points underwater among independents.

CNN data analyst Harry Enten called the numbers the worst pre-midterm position he has ever seen, warning they create historic headwinds for Republicans fighting to keep control of Congress.

The economy remains the anchor. More than two-thirds of voters in the FT poll said the economy is headed in the wrong direction, and Trump's approval on his handling of the Iran war has dropped more than seven points since May, with under 25% approving. Forty-five percent of registered voters said Trump is making it harder for Republican candidates to win in November.

Trump dismissed the findings before departing for Nebraska, telling reporters he was "doing great" and attacking the media outlets reporting them.

Sources: Reuters/Ipsos, Quinnipiac University, Financial Times–Focaldata, Pew Research Center.