Trump approval falls toward 34%

Donald Trump’s approval is falling again, and this time the pattern is pretty clear. It is not just one bad poll. It is a cluster of surveys pointing in the same direction — weaker overall ratings, worse marks on inflation, and a public mood that has turned sharply sour on the economy. (yougov.com) ### Which numbers matter most? The cleanest snapshot comes from Economist/YouGov’s latest poll, published May 5, which found 37% approving of Trump’s job performance and 59% disapproving. A week earlier, the same series said 37% approve and 59% disapprove, with strong approval down to 18% and strong disapproval at 51%. That is basically the floor of his second term so far, not a random wobble. (yougov.com) ### Why are people focusing on 34%? Because Reuters/Ipsos appears even harsher. Ipsos said in its late-April write-up that Trump’s approval had fallen to 34% — its lowest point of his second presidency. That is the number making people say he is “toward 34%,” even though other trackers are a bit higher. The important thing is not the exact single figure. It is that different pollsters are all showing erosion at once. (ipsos.com) ### Is this really about inflation? A lot of it is. Reuters/Ipsos found only 25% approved of Trump’s handling of inflation and rising prices in its April 15-20 poll. Economist/YouGov found inflation and prices suddenly jumped to the top of the issue list in early April, with 34% naming it as their most important issue — up from 23% a week earlier. When the issue vo(ipsos.com)roval usually follows it down. (ipsos.com) ### What changed in the broader mood? The economy started to feel worse fast. Economist/YouGov’s May 1-4 poll found 61% of Americans saying the economy is getting worse — the highest share since 2022 and the worst reading in either Trump term. Reuters/Ipsos also found a rising share saying the economy is on the wrong track and a majority calling the economy weak. That is the backdrop for the approval slide. (yougov.com) ### Is this just Democrats getting louder? No — the more important movement is among softer groups. Economist/YouGov said Trump hit record-low second-term net approval among 30-to-44-year-olds and among adults 65 and older in its April 24-27 survey. Earlier March polling(yougov.com) needs to keep from drifting away. (yougov.com) ### How much does Iran matter here? Probably some, but less than the economy. YouGov’s April 3-6 polling tied Trump’s low approval to a period when the U.S. war with Iran was unpopular, and March polling said many Americans thought the conflict was raising gas prices. But even in (yougov.com)hrough energy costs — but kitchen-table economics looks like the main transmission belt. (yougov.com) ### Does one poll average settle this? Not really. Polls use different methods, samples, and house effects. But when YouGov is near 37%, Reuters/Ipsos is at 34%, and both are showing deep weakness on the economy, the exact decimal matters less than the direction. The direction is down. (yougov.com) ### Bottom line Trump’s approval is not collapsing because of one headline. It is sliding because voters increasingly think prices are still too high, the economy is getting worse, and he is not fixing the problem fast enough. If that mood sticks through the summer, the political damage stops looking like noise and starts looking structural. (ipsos.com)