After 300 days, Trump faces record rejection and widespread decline in the country

A few months into the first full year of Donald Trump’s new term, surveys indicate an accelerated erosion in the president’s popularity. Survey updated on November 16, 2025 shows that net approval — the difference between those who approve and those who disapprove of their performance — reached –18 points, a slow but continuous decline since October. Currently, 39% of Americans say they approve of the government, while 57% disapprove of it; another 4% remain undecided.

The decline is more pronounced when compared to the beginning of the second term, a period in which public opinion was practically divided down the middle. Now, Trump faces worse ratings than at any point during his first time in the White House. Even areas considered pillars of his political platform face increasing rejection: his performance in migration policy registers a negative balance of 7 points, and his management of the economy and prices is bitter –33 points.

Among young people, the gap is even more evident. Americans under 30, who registered a positive balance of 3 points at the beginning of the year, now rate the government at –41. The loss is also significant among Hispanics and blacks, groups in which Trump had already started his term at a disadvantage. Even among white voters, the president, who had a positive balance of 16 points in January, began to be seen slightly negatively.

The state analysis carried out by the The Economistbased on data from YouGov, indicates that practically the entire country has moved towards a more critical sentiment, with the exception of Idaho. In Oklahoma, for example, the approval balance plummeted from +27 to –7 in just a few months. The trend worries Republicans who will run for Congress in the 2026 legislative elections.

Part of this national frustration stems from unfulfilled expectations. During the campaign, Trump promised a robust return to economic prosperity, with claims that wages would “skyrocket,” inflation would “completely disappear,” and jobs would “come back with a vengeance.” Initially, assessments of the economy were positive. But after announcements of new trade disputes and negative market reactions, voters’ mood changed. Today, the economy is one of the areas with the greatest disapproval.

The surveys also detail how different social and demographic groups position themselves. Men and white voters show more favorable ratings for the president, while women, young people and racial minorities appear among the most consistent critics. Voters with completed higher education or postgraduate studies are also overwhelmingly opposed to the government. Even people over 65 — traditionally more aligned with the Republican Party — show only moderate support.

When analyzing the country’s central concerns, the survey confirms that the economy dominates the national agenda. Issues such as inflation, jobs and the cost of living rank highest among Americans of different partisan orientations, although Democrats tend to prioritize health care and civil rights, while Republicans put immigration, taxes and security at the center of their attention.

The historical data series reveals a pattern: priority themes vary according to political and economic events. During Trump’s first term, the pandemic increased the population’s focus on health. In the Biden years, escalating inflation has become dominant. Now, in the Republican’s new term, the weight of economic expectations is once again shaping public perception.

The set of projections shows a challenging scenario for Trump. Although he maintains solid support among his electoral base, growing dissatisfaction in key states and among decisive groups of the electorate creates an environment of uncertainty for the remainder of the term and for the upcoming legislative disputes.