As America turns 250, what is Donald Trump's approval rating? New poll numbers emerge – The News Journal

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, President Donald Trump has promised a major Fourth of July address, putting him at the center of one of the nation’s biggest commemorations in decades. But alongside the America 250 festivities, another closely watched measure is drawing attention in Washington: Trump’s approval ratings.
With the nation marking a historic milestone and the 2026 midterm elections inching closer, new polling is offering fresh insight into how Americans view Trump’s second term. Presidential job approval ratings remain one of the clearest indicators of a president’s political strength, particularly as Republicans and Democrats look ahead to key congressional races that could determine control of Congress.
This week’s YouGov poll found Americans overwhelmingly describe the state of the economy as “fair/poor” and “getting worse,” while noting that the most important issues to them are:
As Trump prepares to deliver what he has described as a lengthy Independence Day message to Americans, the latest polls offer a snapshot of where voters stand at a pivotal moment for both the president and the country.
Recent polling compiled by RealClearPolling shows Trump’s job approval rating averaging about 40%, while disapproval ratings remain notably higher. A separate state-by-state survey released ahead of July found Trump’s national approval below 50%, underscoring the political headwinds facing the White House as election season approaches.
Trump’s presidential approval rating today is 40.6% that approve of his job performance versus 57.4% that disapprove. This declined from an initial high of 50.5% approval and 44.3% disapproval rating when he took office in January 2025. It’s also lower than his first term average approval numbers of 42.8% and former President Joe Biden’s overall approval rating of 43.2%.
Note: Polls are constantly changing and different pollsters ask opinions of different segments of the population. These numbers reflect polling as of Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Although Trump’s approval has dropped to a historic low of 39.5% in the polls this term so far, he hit a 34% low in the first term and other recent presidents such as Biden hit a 36% low, Barack Obama hit a 40% low, George W. Bush hit a 25% low, and Bill Clinton hit a 37% low, according to the Gallup polls, whose recorded lowest rating was Harry Truman with 22%.
As for the highest presidential approval ratings, George W. Bush holds the highest approval rating ever recorded at 90%, while his father, George H.W. Bush holds the second highest at 89%.
Trump is the only president that has not reached a 50% or higher approval to date in the Gallup polls’ history.
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.

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