President Donald Trump’s approval ratings slipped this week, according to new polling analysis from statistician and political analyst Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin, which described the latest numbers as a “bad week” for the president.
Trump’s net approval rating dropped from -7.5 to -9.4, reaching -10 earlier in the week—one of the lowest points of his second term. Strong disapproval now sits at 43.4 percent, compared with 26.1 percent who strongly approve.
These figures suggest that recent policy decisions and persistent economic challenges may be eroding public support. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, such shifts could have significant political consequences.
Silver noted that while Trump’s approval has been relatively stagnant in recent months, it is now showing signs of trending lower. He pointed out that the decline stands out when placed in the context of Trump’s historical approval patterns and the upcoming midterms.
According to Silver, his analysis reflects “an updating polling average of Trump’s net approval rating on immigration, the economy, trade, and inflation, accounting for each poll’s quality, recency, sample size, and partisan lean.”
He explained that his methodology defaults to combining all available polls, including those conducted among adults, registered voters, or likely voters. When multiple versions are released, Silver gives preference to all-adult polls because “all Americans have a say in how popular the president is—whether or not they vote.”
The data shows that strong disapproval of Trump has risen to 43.4 percent, matching his second-term high, while strong approval remains at 26.1 percent. His net approval on key issues has stayed largely unchanged this week: -5.3 on immigration, -15.6 on the economy, -17.3 on trade, and -30 on the cost of living.
Silver attributed the dip to a mix of factors, including economic unease and dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of major issues. He also raised the question of whether the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live might have any measurable effect on Trump’s approval numbers.
Silver and Silver Bulletin analyst Eli McKown-Dawson summed it up: “This has been a bad week for Trump when it comes to the polls.”
In an earlier blog post, Silver wrote: “Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen slightly this week after a string of bad polls. What could meaningfully move Trump’s approval rating? One potential answer is tariffs and their impact on the economy.”
The White House countered with its own message in a post on X, as reported by Newsweek: “NEW POLL. 57.11% of Americans APPROVE of President Trump! MAGA!”
Political analysts will be watching closely to see if this downturn marks the beginning of a sustained decline and what it could mean for Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms.
