President Donald Trump’s job disapproval rating has reached a new high, according to a recent survey.
In the January 2026 Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll, 40 percent of respondents said they approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58 percent said they disapprove—putting him at a net -18. Strength in Numbers’ G. Elliot Morris described the result as “a new low” in the tracker.
Why It Matters
Trump has now passed the one-year mark of his second term, and Newsweek reported last week that multiple surveys suggest his approval rating has been slipping—particularly as public confidence declines on issues central to his political brand, including the economy.
At the same time, polling has historically underestimated support for Trump. Pew Research Center has attributed part of this gap to response patterns—arguing that people most likely to participate in surveys are also more likely to vote Democratic in presidential elections.
What To Know
Strength In Numbers also reported that Trump’s numbers are weaker among independents: 27 percent of political independents approved of his job performance, while 63 percent disapproved.
The pollster also said Trump’s approval on immigration, deportation policy, and border security has dropped since its previous survey in October 2025.
The survey was conducted by Verasight from January 14 to January 20, 2026, among 1,532 U.S. residents ages 18 and older. The poll listed a 2.5 percentage-point margin of error.
The poll also asked about the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, in which U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Results showed 45 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly opposed the strike, while 42 percent somewhat or strongly supported it.
What People Are Saying
Andrew Wroe, a senior lecturer in American politics at the University of Kent in the U.K., told Newsweek that Trump’s numbers haven’t cratered, even if they’ve dipped since he returned to office on January 20, 2025.
He said the more striking trend may be how steady Trump’s approval has been in the low 40s for months—driven by deeply polarized partisanship, with most Republicans approving and most Democrats disapproving. Wroe added that strong loyalty from Trump’s base could limit how far his numbers fall, while entrenched opposition among non-Republicans could cap any rebound.
Earlier this month, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek that Trump entered office with a “resounding mandate” from nearly 80 million voters and argued he is fulfilling major promises—from border security to inflation—while portraying him as a “Peace President” who has ended “eight wars and counting.”
What Happens Next
With the midterm elections drawing closer, the key question is whether these polling trends will translate into real electoral consequences.
