US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 37% ahead of the November midterm elections, according to a new Wall Street Journal poll.
The survey, conducted from September 16 to 21 among 1,500 registered voters, found that 61% disapprove of Trump’s job performance. The 37% approval figure is the lowest for any president heading into a midterm election in Wall Street Journal polls dating back to 1990.
The poll comes as Republicans face growing concerns about the political environment ahead of Election Day. Trump, however, has continued to predict that Republicans will perform well in November.
Trump faces concerns over economy, Iran war
The latest numbers come as the Trump administration faces pressure over the economy and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The Wall Street Journal poll found that 65% of voters view the US economy negatively, while 33% have a positive view. The survey also found that 60% of voters believe Trump’s economic policies have made the economy worse. Only 25% said his policies have made the economy better.
Recent polls have also shown weak approval numbers for Trump. A Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month put his approval at 32%, while an American Research Group survey put it at 29%.
Concerns over inflation, fuel prices, household finances and the cost of living have been among the issues weighing on voters.
Some Trump voters now regret 2024 vote
The Wall Street Journal survey also found signs of a shift among some voters who supported Trump in the 2024 election. Eleven percent of voters who voted for Trump in 2024 said they now regret their decision.
Among Republicans who do not identify with the MAGA movement, 11% said they plan to vote for a Democratic congressional candidate in the November election.
Trump’s net approval has also fallen in other polling trackers. Newsweek reported that Nate Silver’s polling tracker recently put his net approval at minus 22.4, the lowest point of either of his two terms.
“Trump approval now at -22.4, his low point for the term and now lower than at any point in his first term, even after Jan. 6,” Silver wrote on X.
VoteHub’s polling average also put Trump’s net approval at minus 22.4.
Trump to campaign for Republican candidates
Trump is also preparing to campaign for Republican candidates before Election Day.
Politico, citing two people familiar with the plans who were given anonymity because the plans have not yet been made public, reported that Trump will campaign in Iowa, Florida, Texas and Alaska.
He is also scheduled to make a stop in Oklahoma next week as he backs candidates of his choice.
Supreme Court allows voter database check
Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court has given the Trump administration the go-ahead to use a federal citizenship database to help verify voters ahead of the midterm elections, ABC News reported.
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court lifted a lower court order that had blocked the Department of Homeland Security from expanding a 40-year-old immigration database.
The move will allow the database to be used to help states screen voter records for noncitizens.
Trump has described noncitizen voting as a pressing threat to free and fair elections.
Note: Approval ratings do not by themselves determine election results, as congressional races are decided separately in each district and state.
However, presidential approval is closely watched as a measure of the broader political mood in the country.