Donald Trump is more unpopular with Americans than at any point during his first term as president—including after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol.
According to polling averages compiled by pollster Nate Silver, Trump’s disapproval rating has now reached 58.6 percent, surpassing both his first-term peak of 57.9 percent and Joe Biden’s peak of 58.3 percent after his disastrous televised debate with Trump in June 2024.
No president has posted a higher disapproval rating since George W. Bush left office.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Polling has looked pretty bad for Trump in recent weeks, as his party gears up for November’s midterms.
The latest New York Times/Siena poll, conducted between May 11-15, showed Trump’s weakest numbers across both of his terms in office, with just 37 percent of Americans approving of his job performance.
According to the pollsters, no president in the past 17 years has remained below 38 percent approval for more than a brief period, putting Trump at what they describe as a modern political “floor.”
Polls have also shown key voter groups that were crucial to his victory in 2024 deserting him, including Hispanic voters, non-college-educated white voters, and male voters.
The New York Times/Siena poll showed Trump’s lowest approval rating among Hispanics in the pollsters’ history, with just 20 percent approving of him.
Meanwhile, CNN polling showed Trump has dipped below 50 percent with non-college-educated White Americans for the first time ever.
Trump’s poll numbers have continued sliding as voters grapple with the economic fallout from his deeply unpopular war on Iran, which has sent fuel prices soaring after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to AAA, the national average for regular gas has climbed above $4.50 a gallon, while drivers in seven states are now paying more than $5.
At the same time, inflation rose to 3.8 percent in April—the highest level in nearly three years—adding to mounting concerns over affordability ahead of the midterms.
Recent polling suggests voters are increasingly blaming President Trump for the economic strain. The New York Times/Siena poll found that just 28 percent back him on the cost of living, while only 31 percent approve of his handling of the Iran war.
Another CNN/SSRS poll from this month found that Trump’s net approval rating on the economy has plunged to -40, the worst level recorded for him on the issue.
Meanwhile, a CBS/YouGov survey showed 59 percent of Americans say gas prices have caused financial hardship, up from 51 percent in April. The same poll found Democrats holding an advantage on the economy, with 35 percent saying they trust Democrats more, compared with 31 percent for Republicans and Trump.
Warning signs have also emerged within Trump’s own coalition. Among Republicans, disapproval of Trump’s handling of inflation has risen 11 points since March to 37 percent.
CNN polling additionally found that 56 percent of non-college white voters believe Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions, while 67 percent said the Iran war has hurt their personal finances.
The numbers have intensified concerns inside Republican circles ahead of the midterms, with some advisers warning that gas prices could become an “Achilles’ heel” for the party.
“The toughest thing, too, is that we made gas prices the Achilles’ heel for Biden and now it’s our own,” one adviser told Reuters.
Trump has dismissed concerns about the financial toll. Asked Tuesday whether Americans’ economic struggles were influencing his push for a deal with Iran, he replied: “Not even a little bit.”
