Ros Atkins on… How Popular is President Trump?

In the style of BBC’s Ros Atkins, this analysis dives into President Donald Trump’s approval ratings as he navigates the second year of his second term. Drawing on the latest polls from January 2026, Trump’s popularity is underwater, with approval hovering around 40% and net ratings deeply negative, signaling challenges ahead despite his 2024 election win.[1][2][3]

A Steady Slide from Election Triumph

Trump stormed back to the White House in 2024, securing 49.8% of the popular vote and a clear Electoral College majority. Yet, by Inauguration Day on January 20, 2025, his approval had dipped to 47%. Fast-forward to December 2025 Gallup polling, and it plummeted to 36% – matching his first-term low point nearly a year in, the worst for any post-war president at that stage.[1]

Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin, updated January 24, 2026, paints a similar picture. Trump’s net approval rating (approval minus disapproval) sits at -12.9, an improvement from -16.4 at the same point in his first term but lagging behind second-term predecessors like Barack Obama (-8.5) and George W. Bush (-10.4).[2] Real Clear Politics aggregates show approval around 42-43% as of January 22, with disapproval at 50-55%, yielding nets from -7.7 to -12.5.[3]

This isn’t abstract noise. Approval ratings capture public sentiment on a president’s job performance, often swayed by partisanship, policy wins, and crises. Trump’s numbers reflect America’s polarized landscape: 91% of Republicans approved in January 2025, versus just 6% of Democrats – a chasm that widened to 86 points by year-end.[1] Crucially, independents – over a third of voters – saw their support drop 21 points over 2025, eroding his broad appeal.[1]

Trump dismissed the data in a December 31 Truth Social post, calling polls “rigged” and claiming a “real” 64% approval without evidence. Such rhetoric echoes his first term but does little to shift the trend.[1]

Policy Pain Points: Economy and Beyond

Voters’ top worry? The economy. Trump touted an “economic boom” in his end-of-year address, blaming Biden for inflation and promising falling prices and rising wages. Reality bites differently: Q3 2025 GDP grew 4.3%, yet December NPR polling found half of Americans believing the U.S. was in recession. YouGov echoed this, with many viewing conditions as worsening; a Harris/Guardian poll pegged 45% feeling financially worse off.[1]

Approval for Trump’s economic handling hit a second-term low of 31% in December, with prices as the chief gripe. Fox News noted voters blamed Trump over Biden by a 2:1 margin. Silver Bulletin data shows net economy approval at -16.5, converging with overall job approval (-12.9) – a reversal from earlier when general ratings outpaced economic ones.[1][2]

Immigration, a Trump hallmark, fares worse: net -10.0 in recent averages, another low.[2] Flagship policies draw fire too. Polls show disapproval on domestic challenges, from trade to core priorities.[1]

The Venezuela Wild Card

January 3, 2026, brought drama: U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a bold operation. Trump, who campaigned as an “anti-war president of peace,” faced pre-operation December polls showing most Americans against military action there.[1]

Short-term, it could mimic Bush’s post-intervention bumps. Long-term? Doubtful. Partisan divides persist, and independents prioritize the economy. Early signs suggest no reversal of independents’ drift.[1]

Pollster Snapshot: The Numbers in Full

Recent surveys underscore the slump. Here’s a table of key January 2026 polls on Trump’s job approval:

Averages mask house effects – pollsters often understate Trump’s support – but the direction is clear: sub-45% approval dominates.[2][3]

Other metrics? Congressional ballot generics show Republicans at 42.3% vs. Democrats’ 50.0% (Real Clear Politics, Jan 22).[3] Handling of key issues like the economy draws 31-48% approval in spots, but disapproval leads.[3]

What It Means for Trump 2.0

Trump’s second term started strong but sours amid economic gloom and policy pushback. The Venezuela raid grabs headlines, yet polls prefigure no easy rebound. Independents’ flight signals electoral peril for midterms and beyond.

In Atkins style: graphs of plunging nets, clips of Trump’s boasts versus voter gripes, pollster breakdowns. Trump’s base endures, but swaying the middle? That’s the 2026 question.

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Original source: BBC News – World – Ros Atkins on… How popular is President Trump?