Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest point of his second term, with a major new survey showing declining confidence in his personal qualities, decision-making and trustworthiness — and with the erosion now reaching into his own Republican base and 2024 voter coalition.
The findings, published this week by the Pew Research Center and reported by Newsweek, paint a picture of a president whose political standing has weakened on almost every measurable dimension since his return to the White House, even as he continues to dismiss negative polling as inaccurate or irrelevant.
The sharpest decline is on the question of whether Trump keeps his promises. Just 38 per cent of respondents said this trait described him very or fairly well — down from 43 per cent in August 2025 and from 51 per cent in the weeks immediately following his 2024 re-election. The 13-point fall from his post-election high represents a significant erosion of one of his core political assets, the perception of being a straight-talking outsider who delivers on his commitments.
Perceptions of his mental sharpness have also declined, with 44 per cent describing Trump as “mentally sharp” in the April 20-26 survey — a fall of four points since last August. While the figure remains above his overall approval rating, the downward trajectory is notable. Even on one of his stronger personal attributes — the sense that he “stands up for what he believes in” — support has slipped from 68 per cent last summer to 64 per cent now.
Confidence in his policy judgement has weakened across the board. On immigration — traditionally his strongest ground — 41 per cent say they are confident he can make good decisions, down from 46 per cent in August and 53 per cent shortly after the election. The steepest drop is on military force: just 38 per cent now say they are confident he would use military power wisely, compared with 46 per cent last summer — a fall that coincides with the ongoing Iran war and the difficult questions it has raised about American military engagement. Economic confidence has proved the most resilient, falling only marginally from 44 to 42 per cent.
The significance of the survey lies partly in where the decline is coming from. Falling approval among Democrats is entirely expected, but the Pew data shows movement among Republican-leaning voters and members of Trump’s own 2024 coalition — a development that complicates the administration’s position ahead of future electoral cycles and raises questions about enthusiasm and turnout.
Trump has pushed back on the findings. In a phone interview with Newsmax this week, he said: “It is a problem I’m not on the ballot. Everyone says if I was on a ballot we’d win in a landslide. I have some of the best poll numbers I’ve ever had.” The claim is at odds with what the Pew data shows, but reflects his longstanding practice of contesting unfavourable survey results rather than engaging with their implications.
