With the 2026 midterm elections fast approaching, President Donald Trump is confronting an increasingly difficult political environment as fresh polling data indicates a persistent slide in public approval across the United States and in key states such as South Carolina.
A series of national surveys released as the campaign season enters early September reveals widespread voter dissatisfaction with the administration's performance. Across multiple independent polling outfits, the proportion of Americans who disapprove of the president's handling of the office continues to substantially outpace those who approve.
Among the newly published data, a survey conducted by Ipsos in conjunction with Reuters captured a significant deficit for the administration. Sampling 1,167 adults nationwide, the poll found that only 33 percent of respondents approved of the president's job performance, while 63 percent voiced disapproval, yielding a net approval rating of minus 30 percentage points.
An even wider negative margin appeared in research compiled by the American Research Group. In its survey of 1,100 adults, approval fell to 30 percent against a disapproval rating of 66 percent, resulting in a net negative score of 36 percentage points, marking one of the steepest declines observed in the current cycle.
Voter sentiment reflected in joint research by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research similarly pointed to deep headwinds. The AP/NORC poll, which queried 1,165 adults, recorded a 33 percent approval rating and a 66 percent disapproval rating, establishing a net deficit of minus 33 percentage points amid public skepticism regarding foreign military engagements and overseas conflicts.
These findings were mirrored in a CNN/SSRS survey of 1,225 adults, where 34 percent of respondents expressed approval compared to 66 percent who disapproved, registering a net rating of minus 32 percentage points. The survey highlighted ongoing voter reservations surrounding foreign policy challenges, particularly tensions and military conflict involving Iran.
A national poll conducted by Quinnipiac University also documented substantial resistance among the public. Interviewing 963 adult respondents, Quinnipiac found Trump's approval standing at 32 percent, with 58 percent of participants disapproving of his performance, representing a net approval deficit of minus 26 percentage points.
Even the surveys that recorded the president's highest relative standing still demonstrated that majorities of the public viewed his administration unfavorably. A poll by Emerson College, surveying 1,000 adults, found approval at 40 percent and disapproval at 56 percent, yielding a net rating of minus 16 percentage points.
Similarly, a nationwide study conducted by the Marquette University Law School surveyed 1,076 adults and reported an approval rating of 40 percent alongside a 60 percent disapproval mark. This gave the president a net approval rating of minus 20 percentage points in the university’s August measurements.
The underlying metrics in several of these surveys point to persistent economic concerns as a primary driver of public unease. In both the Marquette Law School and Ipsos research, pocketbook pressures—particularly inflation, the rising cost of living, and general economic stability—emerged as the most critical issues dominating the minds of voters heading into the midterms.
Beyond domestic economic difficulties, international turbulence and escalating military actions have added to the administration's polling slump. Survey data from AP/NORC and CNN pointed to public apprehension over international conflicts, including the ongoing war with Iran and strikes on Iranian oil tankers, as contributing factors to eroding confidence.
The declining numbers are generating significant ripples at the state level, including in traditionally conservative bastions such as South Carolina. With critical congressional and statewide seats on the ballot, Republican contenders are navigating an unpredictable environment shaped by the president's sinking statewide and national standing.
The state-level political friction was evident during late August campaign events in South Carolina. While Trump traveled to Myrtle Beach to appear at a rally alongside U.S. Sen. Darline Graham at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, other prominent state Republicans have shown signs of caution, with Rep. Ralph Norman declining to confirm whether he would actively hit the campaign trail for Graham.
As congressional campaigns enter the final stretch leading up to November, the compounding effects of low approval numbers, economic pressures, trade disputes, and international conflicts pose serious challenges for the administration's allies. Republican strategists face the pressing task of steadying voter sentiment before ballots are cast across the country.
(0)