Jan. 3, 2026, 5:02 a.m. MT
President Donald Trump‘s approval ratings remained about the same since last week as he continues to face major foreign policy developments, domestic issues and questions about his health as 2026 began.
Trump’s favorability ratings have gone through multiple up- and down- ticks as he approaches the first anniversary of his second term in office, against a slew of executive orders, mass firings of federal workers, tariff and trade wars, bombing Iran, and mass deportations; however, they have since slumped amid the ongoing Epstein files controversy and last month’s historic government shutdown.
In recent headlines, as the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to Trump’s resort in Mar-a-Lago failed to cement a peace plan for his war-torn nation.
Trump and Zelenskyy said the vast majority of a peace deal had been finalized after a day of intense negotiations that included an extensive phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but among the toughest questions are territorial concessions. Ukrainian leaders have resisted ceding land to Russia, but Trump said their position could weaken.
In the Middle East, Trump issued a public warning to Iran, saying the United States would intervene if Iranian security forces violently kill peaceful protesters amid growing unrest over economic conditions in the country.
On the domestic front, the Trump administration addressed an unfolding fraud controversy linked to Minnesota, where the Small Business Administration suspended almost 7,000 small business loans, worth as much as $400 million, amid suspected fraud.
For years, the Biden administration had been investigating the fraud, including theft from Medicaid programs in the state, leading to dozens of arrests and convictions. Those efforts have continued during Trump’s second term in office.
Trump also spoke publicly about his health in a defiant interview with the Wall Street Journal in which he addressed mysterious bruises on his hand, denied falling asleep at meetings, explained why he doesn’t exercise and said he underwent a CT scan, not an MRI as he previously claimed.
Here’s what to know about Trump’s approval ratings, 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 Dec. 1 to Dec. 30 shows a 43.4% approval and 53.3% disapproval rate.
- According to the most recent Gallup poll, Trump’s job approval rating was at 36%.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll from Dec. 12-15 reported that 39% 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 42% approval and 54% disapproval as of Jan. 2.
- A poll from the Associated Press and NORC showed 36% approve and 61% disapprove of Trump.
- The Economist shows that 41% of people are favorable of Trump and 55% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from Sept. 12.
- A Rasmussen Reports poll from Jan. 2 showed 39% approval and 56% disapproval of Trump.
- A Morning Consult poll updated Dec. 22 showed 45% of voters approve of Trump’s performance, while 52% disapprove.
- The American Research Group poll from Dec. 22 showed 35% approve and 62% 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.
