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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump’s overall net approval rating has slipped to a new low in his second term, according to the latest Quinnipiac University national poll.
Responding to these new figures, White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "According to the RealClearPolitics average, President Trump is enjoying a higher approval rating than former Presidents Obama and Bush at this point in their second term, with much more hostile media coverage."
Why It Matters
With midterm elections approaching, sustained weakness in Trump’s job approval could shape turnout, messaging, and congressional control.
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What To Know
A new Quinnipiac University poll released in March 2026 shows Trump facing the lowest overall approval rating of his second term, according to the survey.
The poll, conducted from March 6 through March 8, surveyed 1,002 self-identified registered voters nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, including the design effect, according to Quinnipiac University.
When asked whether they approve or disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president, 37 percent of respondents said they approve, while 57 percent said they disapprove.
That produced a net approval rating (those who approve minus those who disapprove) of minus 20 points, the lowest level recorded in this Quinnipiac polling series during Trump’s second term.
Those figures mark a slight deterioration from the previous Quinnipiac poll conducted between January 29 and February 2, which surveyed 1,191 registered voters nationwide and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points, including the design effect.
In that late January and early February survey, Trump’s approval rating also stood at 37 percent, while disapproval registered at 56 percent.
The resulting net approval rating of minus 19 was already negative but had not yet reached the new low recorded in March.
Looking back one year underscores the shift.
In a Quinnipiac University poll conducted from January 23 through January 27, 2025, Trump posted a positive overall approval rating early in his second term.
That survey, which included 1,019 self-identified registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, found 46 percent approving of Trump’s job performance and 43 percent disapproving.
At that point, his net approval rating stood at plus 3.
Taken together, the three polls show a steady decline in Trump’s overall standing with the electorate over the past year, according to Quinnipiac University’s data.
While approval has remained flat at 37 percent since late January, disapproval has continued to climb, pushing Trump’s net approval rating to a new low in the series.
What People Are Saying
Brett Lloyd, polling and research specialist for the Independent Center, told Newsweek: “Polls capture a snapshot of a moment, but they miss the cumulative fatigue.
“They miss the ‘quiet’ independent who has checked out of political news entirely because they’re too busy working two jobs.
“A poll tells you who they'd vote for if they had to; it doesn't tell you how many of them are planning to just stay home because they feel ignored by both sides.”
Trump said at a White House event last month: "It just amazes me that there’s not more support out there. We actually have silent support. I think it’s silent. I think that’s how I won."
What Happens Next
Trump’s approval rating is likely to remain under close scrutiny, and future polling will offer signals about whether public sentiment stabilizes or continues to erode heading into the midterm election cycle, when control of Congress will again be at stake.
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