Trump approval sinks across key issues as inflation drives sharpest voter backlash
U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings across major policy issues have deteriorated sharply over the past year, with new aggregated polling data from Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin showing broad-based declines driven largely by economic concerns and inflation.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings across major policy issues have deteriorated sharply over the past year, with new aggregated polling data from Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin showing broad-based declines driven largely by economic concerns and inflation.
A visual analysis of issue-specific net approval ratings from January 2025 through April 2026 indicates that Trump remains underwater on every major policy front, with particularly steep losses tied to cost-of-living pressures.
Among the issues tracked, inflation stands out as the president’s most significant vulnerability. Net approval on inflation has fallen to roughly -34 percentage points, the lowest among all categories, reflecting persistent voter dissatisfaction over prices and tariffs.
This aligns with broader polling trends. A Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos survey found that inflation received Trump’s worst approval ratings among key issues, with only about one-third of Americans supporting his handling of it.
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Economists and political analysts say this reflects the political sensitivity of consumer prices, especially amid tariff-driven cost pressures that have fed into household budgets.
Trump’s economic approval, once considered a relative strength, has also weakened. Net approval on the economy now sits near -22 points, while trade policy trails slightly worse at -24 points, according to the Silver Bulletin aggregation.
Polling data suggests that tariffs and market volatility have contributed to the decline. Nate Silver noted that economic disruptions and policy shocks have led to “permanent damage” in approval ratings even after temporary rebounds.
Earlier in 2025, Trump’s net approval on the economy was already negative, around -15 to -16 points, highlighting a steady erosion rather than a sudden collapse.
Immigration continues to be Trump’s strongest issue, though it too is now in negative territory. Net approval on immigration stands at approximately -11 points, significantly better than other policy areas but still below zero.
Silver’s analysis indicates immigration is “just about the only issue” where Trump’s ratings approach parity, even as overall approval declines.
However, even this relative strength has weakened over time, with polling showing declines following controversial enforcement actions and domestic incidents.
The deterioration across issues mirrors Trump’s broader approval trajectory. Silver Bulletin’s aggregate shows Trump with about 39.7% approval and a net rating near -17 points, marking a new low for his second term.
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Other polling averages reinforce the trend. As of early April 2026, national aggregators place Trump’s approval around 39–41%, with disapproval nearing 57–60%, yielding a net deficit of roughly -16 to -20 points.
Analysts attribute the decline to a combination of economic anxiety, foreign policy tensions, and polarisation among independent voters, whose support has softened significantly.
