Why is this happening?
As President Trump enters his second term, his approval ratings have reached a low point, according to a recent Gallup poll. With 47 percent of Americans approving of his performance so far, his numbers are only slightly above the 45 percent he received at the same point in his first term. This places him at a historic low, as no other elected president since 1953 has had an approval rating lower than 50 percent during their second term. Trump’s current disapproval rating stands at 48 percent, marking a troubling trend and the highest disapproval percentage for a president early in their term since records began.
While Trump’s approval rating remains below 50 percent, it is worth noting that his numbers are still somewhat higher than the average for his first term, when he consistently hovered around 41 percent. In fact, he remains the only president in modern history to never receive an approval rating above 50 percent during his presidency. In comparison, President Joe Biden’s approval rating at the start of his term was 57 percent, the same as George W. Bush at the beginning of his presidency.
Other Republican presidents, like Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, also faced lower approval ratings during the early months of their presidencies, but none of them struggled as much as Trump. Reagan’s and Bush’s ratings were much higher at the start, and both managed to rebound as their terms progressed. Gallup’s analysis highlights that while Trump’s current approval rating is slightly better than his first term’s average, it still lags significantly behind many of his predecessors.
Despite these early struggles, it’s important to consider that approval ratings can shift over time. History shows that presidents with rocky starts, like Reagan, can experience a significant turnaround. Trump’s ability to secure strong support from his base remains a critical factor in his political trajectory moving forward.