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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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President Donald Trump is losing ground with his own party, polls show.
Why It Matters
Trump's political strength has long relied on near-unified Republican support. If that support begins to erode—even slightly—it could weaken his influence over the party.
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What To Know
Trump is showing signs of slippage within his own party, as a new polls reveal a noticeable drop in approval among Republican voters.
The latest HarrisX/Harvard poll, conducted between June 11-12 among 2,097 registered voters, shows his approval among Republican voters has dropped 10 points since last month—from a net +76 to +66. The survey now finds 82 percent of Republicans approve of Trump, while 16 percent disapprove, a notable dip for a figure who has long commanded near-unanimous support within his party.
Both polls had a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.
The latest poll reflects the general trend right now, which has seen Trump's numbers dip following a short-lived recovery that came in the wake of his "Liberation Day" tariffs.
For example, the HarrisX/Harvard poll showed that nationally, among all voters, Trump's approval has slipped to 46 percent, down from 47 percent in May, while disapproval rose to 50 percent, up from 48 percent.
Newsweek's tracker has also shown Trump's approval rating in decline, now standing at 46 percent, with 51 percent disapproving—down from 48 percent pro and 50 percent disapproving against just one week earlier.
CNN's pollster Harry Enten said on Friday's broadcast of CNN News Central that recent polls were "the worst for Donald Trump in this term so far. He is very much way, way, way underwater."
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He added: "This is simply put, been one of the worst polling weeks for Donald Trump that we've seen. Awful, awful, awful," he said.
And polls suggest Trump's poor numbers also extend to his approval rating among Republican voters.
The latest Navigator Research poll, conducted between June 5-9 among 1,371 respondents showed Trump's net approval down by 5 points since May, to +64 from +69. Meanwhile, his approval rating among GOP voters was down 3 points to 81 percent. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.
Thomas Gift, a political science professor at University College London, told Newsweek that while Trump's outsider persona once electrified the GOP base, expectations have changed now that he's back in office.
"Trump has always been more comfortable—and effective—agitating from the outside," Gift said. But as president again, "voters want results, not just rhetoric." While his core MAGA supporters remain loyal, Gift noted that "some moderate Republicans are beginning to question aspects of his agenda—from aggressive tariffs to ramping up ICE operations across American communities."
The HarrisX/Harvard poll reveals some of the reasons why Trump may be hemorrhaging support from Republicans.
Across several key issues, Republican confidence in Trump appears to be slipping.
On domestic issues, more Republicans are beginning to question Trump's economic leadership. The number who say he is losing the fight against inflation rose from 19 percent to 24 percent, and those not confident that his economic policies will drive growth increased from 11 percent to 16 percent.
Prices were up 2.4 percent in May compared with a year ago, up from a rate of 2.3 percent in April, the latest official inflation figures showed. However, that rise was less than expected.
Nonetheless, confidence in the direction of the economy has also dipped among Republicans, falling from 72 percent to 69 percent.
Foreign policy is another area of concern. Belief in Trump's ability to resolve the wars in Ukraine and Gaza has dropped sharply among Republicans—from 74 percent to 63 percent on Ukraine and from 71 percent to 60 percent on Gaza.
That comes after Trump has broadly praised Israel's aggressive campaign against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, reinforcing a hawkish stance that bolsters Israel's right-wing leadership in its operations—not only against Iran but also in Gaza and the West Bank.
He praised Israel's bombing campaign targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure as "excellent" and "very successful," warning that Iran must "make a deal now" or face "even more destructive and deadly military action."
Meanwhile, even on immigration—a cornerstone of Trump's agenda—skepticism is rising. The percentage of Republicans who oppose his administration's efforts to deport criminal undocumented immigrants ticked up from 7 percent to 11 percent.
That is after protests erupted over Trump's decision to authorize the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after reported violence against law enforcement, specifically ICE agents, carrying out deportation raids in the city. Since then, poll trackers published by G Elliott Morris and Nate Silver have shown Trump's approval rating on immigration trending downward.
Overall, fewer GOP voters now believe the country is on the right track under his leadership, dropping from 76 percent to 71 percent.
Perceptions of Trump's ability to outperform former President Joe Biden are also worsening. The number of Republicans who say Trump is doing a worse job than Biden has increased from 11 percent to 15 percent.
Still, Trump retains strong backing from much of the party, Aaron Evans, president of Winning Republican Strategies, told Newsweek.
He argued that Trump's support remains the envy of his political rivals.
"Any Democrat in America would love to have the kind of rock-solid support Donald Trump still commands—over 80 percent approval among Republicans," Evans said.
He framed Trump as a stabilizing force in contrast to a Democratic Party struggling with an "identity crisis," adding that the president "remains in a strong position to continue delivering on his America First promises."
What People Are Saying
Thomas Gift said: "Trump has always been more comfortable—and effective—agitating from the outside. On the campaign trail, Republican voters rallied most fiercely behind him when he cast himself as the anti-establishment, anti-Washington disruptor.
"But now that he's back in the White House, expectations are higher: voters want results, not just rhetoric. While Trump's. core MAGA base remains staunchly behind him, some moderate Republicans are beginning to question aspects of his agenda—from aggressive tariffs to ramping up ICE operations across American communities."
Aaron Evans said: "Any Democrat in America would love to have the kind of rock-solid support Donald Trump still commands—over 80 percent approval among Republicans, even after years of relentless attacks. While President Trump remains one of the most recognized and respected figures in politics, Democrats are facing an identity crisis, with party approval sinking to 38 percent and just one-third of their own voters optimistic about the future. President Trump remains in a strong position to continue delivering on his America First promises."
What Happens Next
Trump's approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of key events.
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