President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have faltered once again, reaching a new low for his second term in the latest Marquette University Law School survey. The findings, released on September 15, indicate that 37% of Americans approve of the president’s performance, a three-percentage-point decline from the institution’s July data. This figure represents the lowest level of support recorded by Marquette tracking since Trump began his second term in early 2025, falling below the previous June low of 38%.
Beyond the topline approval numbers, the survey highlights a significant erosion in the intensity of his support. At the outset of his second term, 29% of respondents expressed strong approval for the president. By the time this latest study was conducted, that figure had plummeted to 15%. The poll was carried out between September 2 and 9, surveying 1,023 U.S. adults with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.
The data suggests that the president’s declining popularity may be providing momentum for Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections. In a generic congressional ballot, Democrats have opened a 13-point lead over Republicans among likely voters—a notable expansion from their six-point lead in July. Registered voters showed a similar trend, with the Democratic lead surging to 12 points, up from just two points two months prior. Conversely, Republican support on the generic ballot has retracted by four percentage points since July.
Approval for the president has weakened across eight key policy areas compared to the July study. These sectors include border security, immigration, foreign policy, tariffs, the economy, the war with Iran, inflation, and gas prices. Notably, approval for his handling of border security has fallen under the 50% threshold. Public sentiment on the economy remains particularly challenging, with only 19% of respondents approving of his management of inflation and cost-of-living issues, while 20% expressed approval for his handling of gas prices. These figures coincide with rising fuel costs; as of Wednesday, the American Automobile Association reported the national average price per gallon at $4.36, marking a $1 increase since September 2025.
Despite the broader downward trend, some isolated polling has offered a different snapshot. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released September 14 showed a modest uptick for the president, rising to 35%—a two-percentage-point increase from previous editions. This slight improvement followed three consecutive weeks of record-low approval numbers in that specific tracker. However, this marginal gain did not translate to party success, as the same poll showed Republicans trailing Democrats by seven percentage points, the widest margin recorded this term.
Polling Averages as of September 16
- RealClearPolitics: 40% approve, 57.8% disapprove
- New York Times: 39% approve, 58% disapprove
- Silver Bulletin: 38.4% approve, 58.5% disapprove
Reporter Fernando Cervantes Jr. contributed to these findings. Inquiries regarding this coverage can be directed to fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com or via X at @fern_cerv_. The report also notes that at the beginning of Trump’s second term, 29% of Americans said they strongly approved of the president; today, that number sits at 15%, according to Marquette University’s poll. The report also notes that as Trump continues to struggle with his approval rating among Americans, Tuesday’s poll shows Democrats may have increased their chances to control the House of Representatives and Senate ahead of November’s midterms. The report also notes that major polling averages continue to place Trump in negative territory overall, while individual polls vary.
