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January 2026 Poll Shows Trump’s Overall Approval Drops to 45% Amid Issue Slips

Updated (4 articles)
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2026. Source Full size
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2026. Source Full size

Overall approval declines to 45% in January The Harvard CAPS/Harris online poll of 2,000 registered voters conducted Jan 28‑29 2026 records overall job approval at 45%, a two‑point fall from December’s 47% and the lowest multi‑issue rating since early 2025 [1].

Immigration rating slides to 46%, extending downward trend Support for Trump’s immigration policies slipped from 49% in December to 46% in January, continuing a slide that began in early 2025 when approval hovered in the mid‑50s [1].

Economic and foreign‑affairs ratings reach new lows Voter confidence in the economy dropped to 43%, down from a February 2025 high of 49%, while foreign‑affairs approval fell to 42% from 45% in December [1].

63% credit Trump for the economy despite low issue scores Even as issue‑specific ratings fell, 63% of respondents attribute current economic conditions to Trump, an 11‑point rise from the previous poll, highlighting a gap between policy disapproval and perceived credit [1].

Sources

Timeline

Early 2025 – Immigration approval begins sliding from the mid‑50s, initiating a downward trend that persists through 2026 [1].

Feb 2025 – Economy approval peaks at 49% in a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, the highest rating since Trump’s first term [1].

Mar 2025 – Overall presidential approval hovers near 40% in an AP‑NORC poll, indicating early‑term stability in his second administration [3].

Sep 2025 – Border‑security approval reaches 55% in AP‑NORC tracking, remaining one of Trump’s stronger issue ratings [4].

Dec 2025 – Economy approval falls to a historic low of 31%, immigration approval drops to 38%, crime approval slips to 43%, and overall approval declines to 36% [4].

Jan 1 2026 – Federal health‑care subsidies for more than 20 million Americans expire, raising out‑of‑pocket costs and prompting Republican criticism of the administration [2].

Jan 8‑11 2026 – AP‑NORC poll of 1,203 adults finds overall approval at ~40%, economy approval at 37% (up from 31% in Dec), immigration approval at 38% (down from 49% in Mar), foreign‑policy disapproval around 60%, and Trump claims “the Trump economic boom has officially begun” [3].

Jan 15 2026 – Follow‑up AP‑NORC poll shows steady overall approval near 40%, economy approval at 37%, immigration approval at 38%, 45% say he helped immigration and border security, and highlights foreign‑policy moves such as a Greenland push and actions on Venezuela [3].

Jan 16 2026 – AP‑NORC poll reports 80% of Republicans still approve of Trump’s job performance, immigration‑crackdown approval falls to 76% (from 88% in Mar), health‑care subsidy loss fuels cost concerns, and a Minneapolis shooting sparks GOP debate over enforcement tactics [2].

Feb 3 2026 – Harvard CAPS/Harris poll (Jan 28‑29) records overall job approval at 45% (down 2 points), immigration approval at 46%, economy approval at 43% (down from Feb 2025’s 49%), foreign‑affairs approval at 42%; 63% credit Trump for the economy despite low issue ratings, and 51% approve his handling of ICE protests in Minneapolis [1].

2026 midterm election season – As the midterms approach, Trump’s declining issue ratings and mixed base support shape GOP campaign strategies and candidate positioning [1].

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