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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Rachel Dobkin

Trump brags his polling is the highest he has ‘ever received.’ In reality, his approval rating keeps going down

President Donald Trump has bragged that his polling is the highest he has “ever received,” despite his approval rating dropping throughout his second term.

In a Truth Social post Monday night, Trump wrote, “The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received. Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!”

But most Americans are actually looking down on the job Trump is doing, including his handling of the economy.

A new The Economist/YouGov poll found that 54 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job as president, while only 40 percent approve. Trump still has a solid approval rating among his party, with 86 percent of Republicans supporting the job he’s doing.

When asked specifically about the economy, 53 percent of Americans say they disapprove of Trump’s handling of the issue, and just 39 percent approve.

The latest Associated Press-NORC polling from early January shows an even grimmer approval rating for Trump. Nearly 60 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing, while just 40 percent approve. Trump’s approval rating has mostly dropped every month since last August, when it sat at 45 percent, according to AP-NORC polling.

Even more Americans, 62 percent, said they disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 37 percent said they approved.

In a Truth Social post Monday night, Trump wrote, 'The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received. Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!' (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Democratic National Committee)

In a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump’s approval rating dipped to 38 percent. This polling tied Trump’s lowest approval rating of his second term, according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has recently come under fire for its immigration crackdown in Minnesota, specifically the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis last month.

Trump’s approval rating on immigration dropped to its lowest level of his second term in the recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, with 53 percent disapproving of his handling of the issue and just 39 percent approving.

Americans have shown discontent with Trump's handling of the economy, despite the president boasting about his job on the issue (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

While inflation held steady at 2.7 percent year-over-year in December 2025, according to federal data, many Americans are still struggling with the cost of living.

Grocery prices remained high last December, with roasted coffee up 18.7 percent and uncooked ground beef up 15.5 percent year-over-year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index showed. The federal government is scheduled to release inflation numbers for January on February 11.

Trump has tried to convince voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections that his administration has created a “booming” economy, as he put it at a recent speech in Iowa. But looking at the polls, most Americans aren’t buying what he’s selling.

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