Trump’s approval is still in free fall in the United States

President Donald Trump’s popularity plummeted to 40% approval, according to a Quinnipiac University survey released on July 16, marking a descendant trajectory that began in January with 46% and now reaches one of the worst rates of his administration. The data reveal a scenario of growing discontent with controversial policies and controversial decisions that have characterized the first months of their second term.

The above chart clearly illustrates the descending trajectory of presidential approval over the first seven months of 2025. The fall of six percentage points from January (from 46% to 40%) coincides with the constant increase in disapproval, which jumped from 43% to 54% in the same period, highlighting increasing polarization and the political wear and political wear.

Presidential disapproval reached 54%, reflecting the negative impact of a series of crises that accumulate in the White House. Among the specific topics evaluated, deportations record the worst performance, with only 38% approval against 59% disapproval, highlighting the repudiation of extreme migratory practices implemented by the administration.

The rejection chart demonstrates that Jeffrey Epstein’s archives lead popular discontent with 63%disapproval, followed by deportations (59%) and the Russia-Uct war (57%). These numbers reflect widespread discontent with the most controversial government policies, covering from domestic issues to foreign policy.

Controversy of epstein files divides conservative base

The controversy around Jeffrey Epstein’s files exposed an unprecedented crack at Trump’s conservative base. After weeks of pressure for the release of documents, the president abruptly changed the speech, calling his own supporters “weak” and “fools” for questioning the management of the case. The survey shows that 63% of voters disapprove of the way management dealt with Epstein files, including 36% of Republicans themselves.

The case gained dramatic contours when the House Speaker, Mike Johnson, publicly broke with Trump by demanding total transparency from the Justice Department. The situation deteriorated when Trump attacked in the social Truth those he classified as “former aircraft”, accusing them of falling into “Democratic bullshit” about Epstein.

Diplomatic crisis with Brazil

Diplomatic tensions have reached alarming levels with 50% rate threats against Brazil, announced as a way to press the release of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces accusations of attempted coup. Trump described the Brazilian judicial process as “witch hunt” and demanded that Brazilian authorities “leave Bolsonaro alone”, generating an unprecedented diplomatic crisis.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reacted hard, classifying the threats as “unacceptable blackmail” and stating that “no gringo will give orders” to Brazil. The Brazilian response included protests on the streets with burning Trump dolls and threats of commercial retaliation, turning a regional ally into a declared opponent.

Migratory policies generate repudiation

Immigration policies continue to generate international controversy. Administration has resumed deportations to third countries, sending immigrants from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen to Eswatini, Africa, a practice that 64% of Americans reject. The budget of US $ 170 billion approved for migratory migratory includes $ 45 billion for detention centers and $ 30 billion for hiring ICE agents.

Research data show that deportations are the theme with the highest rejection among Trump’s specific policies, with 59% disapproval. This index even exceeds traditionally controversial themes such as war in Ukraine and commercial issues, demonstrating the deep discomfort of the American population with extreme migratory practices.

Even in the themes where Trump gets better performance, the numbers remain low. The economy, traditionally a republican strong point, records only 42% approval, while foreign policy reaches 41%. These indexes, although higher than others, are still short of the necessary for solid administration, indicating structural weaknesses in the public perception of government policies.

Inflationary threat of tariffs

The economic impact of tariffs threatens to aggravate inflation in the country. Although the highest rates have not yet been implemented, economists warn that from August 1, when measures come into force against Brazil, Mexico and the European Union, inflationary effects may become more dramatic. The Nobel Prize of Economics Paul Krugman has classified tariff threats as “grotesically illegal.”

Instability is also reflected in foreign policy, with mass layoffs in the state department reaching 1,350 diplomatic employees, compromising the American response capacity in international crises. Internal tensions in the administration intensified with conflicts between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Richard Grenell on negotiations in Venezuela.

Dark Perspectives

The combination of domestic scandals, diplomatic crises and controversial economic policies consolidates a scenario of deterioration of the presidential image. With approval in free fall and growing international isolation, Trump faces the challenge of recovering credibility amid a succession of controversies that seem to deepen each week.

Quinnipiac survey numbers paint a worrying portrait for management, with rejection of more than 50% on virtually all evaluated topics. Temporal analysis reveals that the fall trend began in January not only remained, but accelerated in recent months, suggesting that controversial policies have a negative cumulative impact on public perception.

The current political scenario indicates that Trump faces not only a crisis of approval, but a systemic confidence crisis that encompasses multiple dimensions of its administration, from domestic politics to international relations, creating an environment of instability that can compromise governability in the coming months.