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Trump’s Net Approval Plummets to Record Low of ‑26 in Early February Polls

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  • Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026.
    Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026. Source Full size
  • Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026.
    Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026.
    Image: Newsweek
    Donald Trump speaks to members of the military and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on February 13, 2026. Source Full size

Four Recent National Surveys Show Historic Negative Net Approval Four major national surveys conducted between early January and early February 2026 place President Donald Trump’s net approval between ‑19 and ‑26 points, a range described by CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten as unprecedented for this stage of a second term[1]. The surveys span different methodologies, including online panels, telephone interviews, and random‑digit dialing, yet all converge on a deepening disapproval trend[1]. This marks a sharp decline from the ‑14 net rating recorded in October 2025 and mid‑January 2026[1].

AP‑NORC AmeriSpeak Poll Registers ‑26 Net Rating The AP‑NORC AmeriSpeak poll fielded February 5‑8 surveyed 1,156 adults using the University of Chicago’s probability‑based panel and reported a net approval of ‑26 with a margin of error of ±3.9 percentage points[1]. The poll’s methodology emphasizes representativeness through both online and telephone modes, reinforcing the credibility of the extreme negative rating[1]. Analysts note that a ‑26 net score is the lowest recorded for any sitting president in a comparable mid‑term timeframe[1].

NBC, Quinnipiac, and YouGov Surveys Confirm Deep Disapproval An NBC Decision Desk poll powered by SurveyMonkey, fielded Jan 27‑Feb 6 with 21,995 respondents, yielded a net approval of ‑22 (±2.4)[1]. Quinnipiac University’s Jan 29‑Feb 2 poll of 1,191 registered voters found 37 % approve and 56 % disapprove, a net of ‑19, down from ‑14 earlier in the year[1]. A Yahoo News/YouGov survey of 1,709 adults collected Jan 8‑12 reported a net approval of ‑20 (±3.1)[1], all underscoring a consistent pattern of record‑low favorability across diverse samples.

White House Defends Mandate Despite Record Low Ratings White House spokesman Davis Ingle responded to the polling data by invoking the November 5 2024 election, in which “nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump,” arguing that the electoral outcome remains the ultimate validation of his mandate[1]. Ingle dismissed the polls as secondary to the “ultimate poll” of the 2024 vote, emphasizing Trump’s continued dominance in American politics[1]. Critics note the contrast between the administration’s rhetoric and the empirical evidence of historic disapproval[1].

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Timeline

Nov 5, 2024 – Trump wins the presidential election with nearly 80 million votes, a result the White House cites as the “ultimate poll” despite later low approval ratings [3].

Dec 3, 2025 – Rasmussen Reports records Trump’s net approval at ‑11 percent (44 % approve, 55 % disapprove), the lowest net rating of his second term to date [21].

Dec 5, 2025 – A The Economist/YouGov survey finds 45 % of Trump voters oppose a third term while 43 % support it, and former adviser Steve Bannon hints at a possible 2028 run [20].

Dec 8, 2025 – CNN analyst Harry Enten notes Trump’s approval among 18‑29‑year‑olds plunges 56 points to ‑46, the steepest swing recorded this year [18].

Dec 9, 2025 – The Economist/YouGov poll shows women’s approval rises to 38 % from a low of 31 % a month earlier, marking a modest gender‑gap improvement [17].

Dec 15, 2025 – Nate Silver reports Trump’s net approval improves to ‑11 points (42.8 % approve, 54 % disapprove) after a November low of ‑15 points [16].

Dec 17, 2025 – Strong‑approval ratings hit new lows: NBC 21 %, AP‑NORC 18 %, Reuters 19 %, Fox 22 %, and Marquette 21 %; Republicans begin publicly breaking with Trump on issues such as the Epstein file release [2].

Dec 19, 2025 – RMG Research poll shows 50 % of registered voters approve Trump’s job performance, the highest RMG reading in over a month [15].

Dec 21, 2025 – AtlasIntel’s December poll records a net approval of ‑20 points (39.3 % approve, 59.6 % disapprove), a slide from ‑15 points in November [14].

Dec 22, 2025 – InsiderAdvantage reports a +8.4 point net approval (49.5 % approve, 41.1 % disapprove) in its December 20 survey, its strongest result since August [13].

Dec 24, 2025 – Rasmussen’s daily index shows Trump’s net approval at ‑10 points on Dec 22, after a brief rebound earlier in the month [12].

Dec 25, 2025 – Nate Silver’s aggregate places Trump at a net ‑12.5 points, while AtlasIntel confirms a ‑20 point net and InsiderAdvantage a +8.4 point net; Emerson College finds a net ‑9 points [11].

Dec 30, 2025 – Harvard Youth and GenForward polls reveal support among young men (18‑29) falls sharply, with disapproval at 62 % and approval at 32‑34 % respectively, eroding a 2024 electoral gain [10].

Jan 6, 2026 – Reuters/Ipsos online survey shows Trump’s approval at 42 % (up from 39 % in Dec), while InsiderAdvantage records 49.5 % approval; aggregate trackers still show a double‑digit deficit, and the uptick coincides with diplomatic actions in Venezuela [9].

Jan 16, 2026 – Marist poll finds 37 % approve Trump’s foreign‑policy handling, a net ‑19 points, the lowest of his second term; the White House defends the Greenland proposal as a strategic asset [8].

Jan 20, 2026 – Marist poll registers 38 % approval (‑18 net) and an Economist/YouGov poll shows Gen Z net approval at ‑32 points; AP‑NORC highlights partisan splits on immigration, and the White House reiterates Trump’s “historic progress” [7].

Jan 22, 2026 – ARG poll places Trump at 35 % approval (‑28 net) and 32 % approve of his economy handling; a CBS/YouGov survey shows Gen Z net approval at ‑32 points, and Trump claims polls are rigged [6].

Jan 29, 2026 – Pew Research Center reports 37 % overall approval (‑24 net) with 73 % of Republicans still approving; analysts link the economy to the upcoming 2026 midterms, and Trump dismisses the poll as “fake” on Truth Social [5].

Feb 2, 2026 – Multiple polls after an SNL “mom confession” sketch reveal growing discontent: 20 % of Republicans say the administration is “worse than expected,” 7 % of Trump supporters regret voting for him, and reservations rise to 30 % among GOP voters [1].

Feb 5, 2026 – InsiderAdvantage records a 50 % approval rating (49 % approve, 49 % disapprove) following a leadership change at ICE; Trump touts the result on Truth Social, while the White House emphasizes economic and border achievements [4].

Feb 18, 2026 – Four major national polls place Trump’s net approval between ‑19 and ‑26 points (AP‑NORC ‑26, NBC ‑22, Quinnipiac ‑19, YouGov ‑20), the deepest second‑term lows on record; the White House still cites the 2024 election as the “ultimate poll” [3].

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