Jan. 31, 2026, 5:03 a.m. MT
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has remained about the same in the latest polls, even as his administration faces escalating controversies and nationwide backlash
Following the Jan. 24 shooting in which a Border Patrol officer shot and killed Alex Pretti, the second U.S. citizen killed as a result of immigration enforcement efforts in Minneapolis, mass protests have erupted both in Minneapolis and in dozens of cities across the nation.
Student organizers and activists demand federal agents withdraw from Minnesota and that the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown be halted, even though the president assured that there would be a limited “de-escalation” in the area.
Following the shooting, Trump removed Gregory Bovino from Minneapolis and sent Tom Homan, White House border czar, in his place. Trump has also said that he had “very good” phone calls with Minnesota’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz, and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat.
Following the shooting, Senate Democrats have also taken a stand against the Trump administration’s immigration policy, refusing to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The pushback could result in a partial government shutdown that could come as soon as this weekend.
The Trump administration also received criticism from press advocacy groups over its arrests of former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort in connection to a Minnesota church protest, calling the moves unconstitutional.
On Friday, the Justice Department released another 3 million pages of Jeffrey Epstein files, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced.
The releases will include redactions, Blanche said, resulting in more than 3.5 million pages being produced in total, out of more than 6 million pages collected by the government, or about 60% of what the government has in its possession. Blanche also said the DOJ “did not protect President Trump. We didn’t protect or not protect anybody.”
In other news, the nearly 42 million low-income Americans on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can expect major changes starting Feb. 1, as Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed last summer, included major changes, including tightened work requirements and billions in funding cuts to the program.
Here’s what to know about Trump’s approval rating, including how they are decided and how Trump’s ratings compare with his first term and past presidents.
What is Donald Trump’s approval rating?
Here are the latest approval ratings released about Trump’s administration:
- Real Clear Polling‘s average of polls from Jan. 12 to Jan. 29 shows a 42.6% approval and 55.1% disapproval rate.
- According to the most recent Gallup poll, Trump’s job approval rating was at 36%.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25 reported that 38% of those surveyed gave him a favorable approval rating of his performance in office and 59% gave an unfavorable rating.
- The New York Times daily average of polls showed a 41% approval and 56% disapproval as of Jan. 30.
- A poll from the Associated Press and NORC showed 40% approve and 59% disapprove of Trump.
- The Economist shows that 38% of people are favorable of Trump and 56% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from Jan. 30.
- A Rasmussen Reports poll from Jan. 30 showed 46% approval and 53% disapproval of Trump.
- The American Research Group poll from Jan. 21 showed 35% approve and 63% disapprove.
How does Trump’s approval rating compare with his 1st term?
Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%.
How does Trump’s approval rating compare with past presidents?
- Joe Biden – 40%
- Donald Trump (first term) – 34%
- Barack Obama – 59%
- George W. Bush – 34%
- Bill Clinton – 66%
- George H.W. Bush – 56%
- Ronald Reagan – 63%
- Jimmy Carter – 34%
- Gerald Ford – 53%
- Richard Nixon – 24%
Are presidential approval ratings accurate?
Data agency Gallup notes that these approval ratings are a “simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years.”
A president’s approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans polled who approve of the president’s performance. Anything can impact a president’s rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections.
According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn’t just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office.
While these ratings are easy to understand, Quorum says some analysts believe they are not as useful as they once were due to extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate.
“Presidential approval ratings have always been partisan, with members of the president’s party offering more positive assessments than those in the opposing party,” according to the Pew Research Center. “But the differences between Republicans and Democrats on views of the president have grown substantially in recent decades.”
USA TODAY Network reporter Maria Francis contributed to this article.
