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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to a new second‑term low, according to four major polls cited on CNN, as voter unease grows over the economy, foreign policy and the war with Iran.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement, "The ultimate poll was November 5, 2024, when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda."
Why It Matters
Trump returned to office promising economic stability and global strength, but a year into his second term, both pillars appear to be weighing on public opinion.
Read More on Politics
With U.S. involvement in Iran escalating and the 2026 midterms approaching, the political stakes are rising fast.
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What To Know
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said Trump's approval rating has hit record lows across multiple polls, describing a steady collapse in public support during a segment aired this week.
"There is no floor for Donald Trump," Enten said. "The floor beneath him keeps collapsing, and he falls down to a new record low."
Enten pointed to four surveys conducted in March, all showing Trump at the weakest point of his second term.
In a Quinnipiac University poll of 1,002 self‑identified registered voters nationwide, conducted from March 6 to March 8, Trump's net approval rating stood 20 points underwater.
The poll carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, including the design effect.
A Yahoo News/YouGov poll showed a similar picture.
The survey, conducted online between March 12 and March 16 among 1,699 U.S. adults, found Trump 21 points underwater on net approval.
Its results were weighted to reflect the U.S. adult population by demographics, party identification and 2024 election turnout, and its margin of error was about 3.1 percentage points.
Trump's standing was even weaker in a Verasight poll conducted March 16 through March 18.
Verasight surveyed 1,530 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, with results weighted to national benchmarks such as age, race, education, income, region, partisanship and past vote.
That poll placed Trump 23 points underwater, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
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The steepest drop came from the most recent Reuters/Ipsos survey.
The four‑day nationwide online poll, conducted March 20 to March 23 among 1,272 U.S. adults, showed Trump 26 points underwater on net approval.
The margin of error for that poll was 3 percentage points.
"All of these are term-two record lows," Enten said, adding that Trump's standing in polling averages had also slipped to its weakest point since he began his second term.
Enten said foreign policy appeared to be a major driver of the decline, particularly the ongoing war with Iran.
According to Reuters/Ipsos data he cited, Trump's foreign policy approval rating has fallen sharply since the start of his second term.
After beginning the term slightly above water, Trump is now 27 points underwater on foreign policy approval, representing a drop of almost 30 points since January 2025.
Support among independents has been especially soft.
Enten noted that 22 percent of independents approved of Trump's handling of foreign policy, a figure he described as deeply problematic for a president heading into a midterm cycle.
Economic issues have also weighed heavily on Trump's standing.
While Trump was elected in large part on promises of economic strength, the data analyst said polling showed sharp erosion in that area as well.
Trump's net approval on the economy has fallen from 6 points above water in January 2025 to 33 points underwater, an adverse swing of nearly 40 points.
On the cost of living, Enten said Trump was now 41 points underwater, a figure that underscores voter frustration as inflation and household expenses remain front of mind for many Americans.
That dissatisfaction could have consequences beyond the White House.
Enten pointed to Kalshi prediction markets showing a growing risk for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.
According to those markets, the chance that Republicans win fewer than 193 House seats has climbed to 42 percent, up from 8 percent five months ago.
"That chance was 8 percent five months ago," Enten said. "Look at that now. Up like a rocket."
While noting that it is still early in the election cycle, Enten warned that Trump's unpopularity could pose serious challenges for Republican candidates down the ballot if the numbers do not improve.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "The president has already made historic progress not only in America, but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics."
A White House official previously told Newsweek: "Polling shows President Trump's decision to launch Operation Epic Fury has Americans' support—with MAGA and Republicans strongly supporting it. Despite some online commentators with large followings publicly disagreeing with the president's decision—and many legacy media outlets eagerly highlighting their comments to try and sow division—the MAGA base is not wavering one bit."
President Donald Trump said last week: "When this is over, oil prices are going to go down very, very rapidly. So is inflation. So is everything else. But frankly, much more important than short-term or even long-term oil prices: You cannot let the most violent, vicious country in the last 50 years have a nuclear weapon."
Brett Loyd, a polling and research specialist for the Independent Center, previously told Newsweek: "It's tough to win a national midterm when independents view your primary brand as a deal-breaker. That's not to say Democrats are doing anything incredible to court the center; it's just that Republicans are doing a remarkably efficient job of shedding them."
What Happens Next
Attention now turns to whether the White House can stabilize public opinion as the Iran conflict continues and economic pressures persist.
With the 2026 midterms drawing closer, shifts among independents and swing voters could play a decisive role in shaping control of Congress.
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