What is Donald Trump's current approval rating? See the most recent polls
What is Donald Trump's current approval rating? See the most recent polls
Laura Daniella Sepulveda, Arizona RepublicSat, May 23, 2026 at 12:02 PM UTC
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President Donald Trump's approval rating reached its lowest point of his second term in several polls this week as his administration navigates escalating tensions with Cuba and scrutiny over his immigration policies.
The United States has increased its military and intelligence surveillance flights near Cuba, a move that could help carry out Trump’s threat to attack the island nation. Adding to the military buildup, the Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its escort ships entered the Caribbean on May 20, the same day the Department of Justice announced the indictment of Cuba's former President Raúl Castro, 94, on murder charges related to the deaths of four American civilians in a 1996 military operation.
In another foreign policy development, Trump said this week that another 5,000 troops would deploy to Poland, an apparent backpedal from an earlier threat to reduce U.S. military presence in the country, as his administration has floated pulling American forces from Europe to punish countries for not supporting his war in Iran.
At home, Trump's immigration policies continued to receive criticism as California Attorney General Rob Bonta released the California Department of Justice’s fifth report on conditions at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities. The report denounced worsening conditions, with detainees facing “poor access to clean drinking water” and issues with receiving timely medical treatment.
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Additionally, according to reports from The Atlantic and Reuters this week, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin privately warned travel executives that the department could stop processing international travelers and cargo at airports in cities that do not cooperate with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts. Reuters reported the cities discussed included Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco.
Here's what to know about Trump's approval rating, including how they are decided and how Trump's ratings compare with his first term and past presidents.
What is Donald Trump's approval rating?
Here are the latest approval ratings released about Trump's administration:
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The New York Times' daily average of polls showed a 38% approval and 58% disapproval as of May 22.
The Economist shows that 37% of people are favorable of Trump and 57% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from May 22.
A Rasmussen Reports poll from May 22 showed 43% approval and 56% disapproval of Trump.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll from May 15-18 reported that 35% of those surveyed gave him a favorable approval rating of his performance in office and 63% gave an unfavorable rating.
A Morning Consult poll May 18 showed 42% of voters approve of Trump’s performance, while 55% disapprove.
Real Clear Polling's average of polls from April 29 to May 21 shows a 39.8% approval rate and a 58.2% disapproval rate.
The American Research Group poll from May 21 showed 31% of people approve and 64% disapprove.
A poll from the and NORC showed 37% of people approve and 62% disapprove of Trump as of May 14.
How does Trump's approval rating compare with his 1st term?
Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%.
How does Trump's approval rating compare with past presidents? -
Joe Biden - 40%
Donald Trump (first term) - 34%
Barack Obama - 59%
George W. Bush - 34%
Bill Clinton - 66%
George H.W. Bush - 56%
Ronald Reagan - 63%
Jimmy Carter - 34%
Gerald Ford - 53%
Richard Nixon - 24%
Are presidential approval ratings accurate?
Data agency Gallup notes that these approval ratings are a "simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years."
A president’s approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans polled who approve of the president’s performance. Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections.
According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn't just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office.
While these ratings are easy to understand, Quorum says some analysts believe they are not as useful as they once were due to extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate.
“Presidential approval ratings have always been partisan, with members of the president’s party offering more positive assessments than those in the opposing party,” according to the Pew Research Center. “But the differences between Republicans and Democrats on views of the president have grown substantially in recent decades.”
USA TODAY Network reporter Maria Francis contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Donald Trump's approval rating drops to second-term lowest in polls
Source: “AOL Breaking”
