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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump's job approval rating is underwater on all key issues including the economy, foreign policy and immigration, according to a new poll.
The survey, conducted by The Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll between April 23 and 26, found that Trump's approval rating is weakest on handling inflation on 37 percent, followed by managing the Iran conflict on 39 percent.
In contrast, Trump performs stronger on fighting crime in U.S. cities on 48 percent approval.
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“The ultimate poll was November 5th 2024, when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda," White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in a statement he has repeated many times.
"No other President in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more. The President has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world, and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect."
Why It Matters
Persistent weakness on economic and foreign policy issues could limit Trump's ability to expand support beyond his core voters.
Presidents can weather low approval ratings if they retain credibility on certain key issues. This poll suggests that Trump is struggling to do just that, with his approval rating below 50 percent across all major policy areas tested.
The polling comes just months ahead of the November midterm elections, in which the Republicans are looking to hold on to slim majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Economy And Inflation Remain Trump's Weakest Areas
On the economy, Trump received an approval rating of 39 percent, marking his lowest-ever rating on the issue during his second term.
Trump's approval on handling inflation was even weaker on 37 percent, underscoring continued public dissatisfaction with cost‑of‑living pressures. The inflation figure also represents a new low for Trump during his second term.
Meanwhile, Trump's approval rating for reducing the cost of the government was higher on 42 percent.
Immigration And Crime Are Relative Strengths—But Still Underwater
Trump's strongest approval ratings were on immigration on 47 percent, and fighting crime in America's cities on 48 percent.
Still, neither issue reached majority approval, a notable distinction from past elections where immigration served as a clearer advantage for him.
Meanwhile, Trump's approval rating for his handling of foreign affairs stood at 41 percent, while his managing of the Iran conflict registered just 39 percent approval.
Governance, Trade, And Values Show No Breakout Support
On returning America to its values, Trump recorded an approval rating of 46 percent.
Meanwhile, Trump's approval on administering the government was 43 percent, and he scored 40 percent on his tariffs and trade policy.
The poll surveyed 2,745 registered voters across the U.S. online, and carried a margin of error of +/- 1.87 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
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A Consistent Pattern Across Issues
Trump's approval ratings across nearly all issues cluster tightly in the low‑ to mid‑40s, suggesting entrenched views rather than volatility driven by short‑term events.
Without a clear issue‑level breakthrough, Trump’s political standing remains constrained, even where he performs best.
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