Blab Politics
Trumps Job Approval Hits Record Low in July 2026 Poll
A July 25‑27, 2026 Economist/YouGov survey of 1,559 U.S. adults revealed a stark downturn: only 33 % approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance, while 62 % disapprove. The resulting net approval of –29 % marks the lowest share of approval and the lowest net rating recorded in any Economist/YouGov poll during either of Trump’s terms.
The poll’s margin of error stands at ±3.3 percentage points. By comparison, Trump’s net approval at the start of his second term was –10 %, and President Joe Biden’s net approval at the same point in his term was –17 %. Among demographic subgroups, the lowest net ratings appeared for women (–36 %), white Americans (–19 %), and college graduates (–42 %).
Party‑by‑party breakdowns highlight a sharp decline among Independents and a split within the Republican base. Only 18 % of Independents approve of Trump, while 71 % disapprove, giving a net rating of –53 %. This represents a decline from the beginning of the year, when Independents had a 32 % approval and 60 % disapproval rating (net –28 %). Among Democrats, approval is virtually nonexistent: 4 % approve and 95 % disapprove, resulting in a net rating of –91 %. The near‑unanimous disapproval among Democrats has persisted throughout Trump’s second term.
Within the Republican electorate, the poll distinguishes between MAGA supporters and non‑MAGA Republicans. About 60 % of Republicans identify as MAGA supporters; their approval of Trump remains high at 92 %, with only 8 % disapproval, yielding a net rating of +85. The share of MAGA supporters who disapprove rose slightly from 4 % at the start of the year to 8 %. In contrast, roughly 30 % of Republicans are non‑MAGA. Their approval fell from 90 % at the start of the term to 51 %, while disapproval rose from 6 % to 47 %, resulting in a net rating of +4. The decline among non‑MAGA Republicans was most pronounced in 2025 but continued into 2026.
The poll also reports on the intensity of approval. Only 17 % of respondents strongly approve of Trump’s job performance, the lowest share for this category in the current term. Among Republicans, 48 % strongly approve, whereas 91 % of Democrats strongly disapprove.
These approval figures translate into congressional voting intentions. According to the poll, 46 % of registered voters say they would vote for the Democratic candidate for Congress, compared with 40 % for the Republican candidate—a six‑point Democratic lead that is the largest since February. Nearly all Democrats (94 %) would vote for a Democratic congressional candidate, while 87 % of Republicans would vote for a Republican candidate. Independents are split, with 43 % favoring Democrats and 24 % favoring Republicans.
The poll further links approval of Trump to party preference in congressional races. All respondents who strongly approve of Trump say they would vote Republican (95 %); only 1 % would vote Democrat. Among those who strongly disapprove, 82 % would vote Democrat, and 3 % would vote Republican. Respondents who somewhat approve of Trump are more likely to vote Republican (79 %) but a larger share express uncertainty or a preference for third‑party candidates (17 %). Those who somewhat disapprove are more likely to vote Republican (46 %) than Democrat (30 %), with 55 % identifying as Republicans or Republican‑leaning Independents.
The July poll therefore paints a picture of a president whose approval has fallen to historic lows, a Democratic advantage in congressional voting intentions, and a Republican base that is divided between staunch supporters and a shrinking group of non‑MAGA voters. No further actions or policy changes have been announced in response to these figures, and the next major political event will be the November 3, 2026 midterm elections.
The poll’s margin of error stands at ±3.3 percentage points. By comparison, Trump’s net approval at the start of his second term was –10 %, and President Joe Biden’s net approval at the same point in his term was –17 %. Among demographic subgroups, the lowest net ratings appeared for women (–36 %), white Americans (–19 %), and college graduates (–42 %).
Party‑by‑party breakdowns highlight a sharp decline among Independents and a split within the Republican base. Only 18 % of Independents approve of Trump, while 71 % disapprove, giving a net rating of –53 %. This represents a decline from the beginning of the year, when Independents had a 32 % approval and 60 % disapproval rating (net –28 %). Among Democrats, approval is virtually nonexistent: 4 % approve and 95 % disapprove, resulting in a net rating of –91 %. The near‑unanimous disapproval among Democrats has persisted throughout Trump’s second term.
Within the Republican electorate, the poll distinguishes between MAGA supporters and non‑MAGA Republicans. About 60 % of Republicans identify as MAGA supporters; their approval of Trump remains high at 92 %, with only 8 % disapproval, yielding a net rating of +85. The share of MAGA supporters who disapprove rose slightly from 4 % at the start of the year to 8 %. In contrast, roughly 30 % of Republicans are non‑MAGA. Their approval fell from 90 % at the start of the term to 51 %, while disapproval rose from 6 % to 47 %, resulting in a net rating of +4. The decline among non‑MAGA Republicans was most pronounced in 2025 but continued into 2026.
The poll also reports on the intensity of approval. Only 17 % of respondents strongly approve of Trump’s job performance, the lowest share for this category in the current term. Among Republicans, 48 % strongly approve, whereas 91 % of Democrats strongly disapprove.
These approval figures translate into congressional voting intentions. According to the poll, 46 % of registered voters say they would vote for the Democratic candidate for Congress, compared with 40 % for the Republican candidate—a six‑point Democratic lead that is the largest since February. Nearly all Democrats (94 %) would vote for a Democratic congressional candidate, while 87 % of Republicans would vote for a Republican candidate. Independents are split, with 43 % favoring Democrats and 24 % favoring Republicans.
The poll further links approval of Trump to party preference in congressional races. All respondents who strongly approve of Trump say they would vote Republican (95 %); only 1 % would vote Democrat. Among those who strongly disapprove, 82 % would vote Democrat, and 3 % would vote Republican. Respondents who somewhat approve of Trump are more likely to vote Republican (79 %) but a larger share express uncertainty or a preference for third‑party candidates (17 %). Those who somewhat disapprove are more likely to vote Republican (46 %) than Democrat (30 %), with 55 % identifying as Republicans or Republican‑leaning Independents.
The July poll therefore paints a picture of a president whose approval has fallen to historic lows, a Democratic advantage in congressional voting intentions, and a Republican base that is divided between staunch supporters and a shrinking group of non‑MAGA voters. No further actions or policy changes have been announced in response to these figures, and the next major political event will be the November 3, 2026 midterm elections.
