President Donald Trump is seeing higher approval ratings now than at the beginning of his first term, according to recent polling.
Why It Matters
Republicans are currently enjoying a wave of popularity nationwide—Trump improved his margins in all but two states in the 2024 presidential election, and the GOP now controls both the Senate and the House.
Polls have also shown that Trump has higher approval ratings among groups that don’t traditionally vote Republican, indicating a realignment in voter demographics that could have lasting implications for future elections.
What To Know
According to the latest polling from Emerson College, conducted between January 27 and 28 among 1,000 registered voters, Trump’s approval rating currently stands at 49 percent, while 41 percent disapprove. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
That marks an increase for Trump from his first term, when Emerson College polling showed that his approval rating peaked at 48 percent in August 2020. Trump left office in January 2021 with the lowest rating of his presidency, 34 percent, after the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The poll also shows that most voters (52 percent) think the United States is headed in the right direction, while 48 percent believe it is on the wrong track. This is a significant shift from earlier this month when 67 percent said the country was on the wrong track and 33 percent in the right direction.
President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on January 29, 2025.
Evan Vucci/AP
Other polls have shown that Trump has topped his approval ratings since his first term. Gallup’s most recent poll showed that Trump’s approval rating currently stands at 47 percent, up from 45 percent at the beginning of his first term.
Meanwhile, Trump’s favorability rating has reached historic highs recently, currently standing at -0.7, up from -20 in January 2021, when his first term ended.
It comes as polls have also shown that Trump scores high approval ratings among groups that traditionally lean toward the Democrats. The latest poll from AtlasIntel, conducted between January 21 and 23, showed that more Black voters approve of Donald Trump’s job performance as president than white voters.
According to the poll, 69 percent of Black voters approve of Trump’s job performance, compared to 50 percent of white voters. Meanwhile, 31 percent of Black voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance, compared to 49 percent of white voters.
Emerson’s latest poll also showed that Trump has net approval ratings in all age groups except the over-70s. Among 18-29-year-olds, his approval rating is 46 percent, indicating that Gen Z voters support Trump’s agenda despite young voters historically leaning toward the Democrats.
However, while Trump’s popularity may be on the rise, he remains one of the least popular U.S. presidents in history. According to the Gallup poll, Trump still has the lowest approval rating of all elected presidents, dating back to 1953, and he remains the only elected president with sub-50 percent initial approval ratings.
An Ipsos poll conducted between January 24 and 26 showed 46 percent of voters disapprove of Trump, while 45 percent approve.
What People Are Saying
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said: “President Trump’s 49% job approval rating closely reflects his share of national support in the 2024 election, and his 41% disapproval is the lowest it has been in Emerson national polls dating back to his first term. All age groups have a net approval of Trump, including voters under 30 (46%-38%), except those over 70, who narrowly disapprove (49%-48%).”
Kimball added: “The shift is rooted in a flip of Republican perception and lessening of independents who say the country is on the wrong track,” Kimball noted. “Earlier this month, 70% of Republicans felt the country was on the wrong track, now 87% feel it is headed in the right direction. The share of independents who say the country is on the wrong track decreased from 69% to 53%, while Democrats’ perception that the country is on the wrong track intensified from 62% to 79%.”
What Happens Next
Whether Trump’s current approval rating will be maintained remains to be seen. He is now beginning to enact his agenda, signing over 100 executive orders on his first two days in office, targeting immigration, defense and the military, foreign policy, the environment, and government efficiency.
