President Donald Trump is facing a sharp political setback as a new poll shows his net approval rating sinking to a record low, with unrest spreading even inside his own party.
A CNBC poll of 1,000 people nationwide, conducted between April 15-19, shows that Trump’s job approval stands at 40 percent, while 58 percent disapprove.
That puts his net approval at -18, a 10-point fall from the previous quarter and the worst recorded during either of his presidencies.
Approval also fell to record lows among Democrats and independents, but the most striking shift came within his own party.
Republican approval dropped 17 points to its lowest level since 2017, driven by rising disapproval and falling support.
And while MAGA-aligned voters remain overwhelmingly loyal at 96 percent approval, support among non-MAGA Republicans fell sharply, down 19 points to 60 percent, signaling widening fractures within his political base.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
The poll reflects latest surveys, which have shown Trump’s overall approval rating declining, with his support from non-MAGA Republicans dropping, while his support from MAGA Republicans has endured.
Analysis from CNN pollster Harry Enten last month showed that Trump’s support among MAGA Republicans remains at 100 percent.
Still, the surveys are warning signs for Trump and his party ahead of the 2026 midterms.
It comes as voters express growing dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the economy and the ongoing war in Iran, both of which have weighed heavily on his approval ratings in polls.
The CNBC poll showed that Trump’s approval on the economy has fallen sharply, dropping to 39 percent approval and 60 percent disapproval, a net -21 that marks his weakest economic rating in CNBC polling across both terms and a 10-point decline from the previous quarter.
The decline is broad-based but especially pronounced among key voter groups, including independents, Latinos, and white non-college voters, who formed an important part of Trump’s base in 2024.
Republican approval also slipped, though it remains high overall at 77 percent. The biggest shift came among non-MAGA Republicans, where support fell to 55 percent from 69 percent, while MAGA voters remain strongly aligned at 92 percent approval.
Economically, the drop has been most visible in GOP-held congressional districts, where overall approval fell 11 points to 43 percent ahead of the midterms.
Jay Campbell, a partner at Hart Research, the Democratic pollster for the survey, told CNBC: “It’s hard to imagine a set of policies that could be proposed and implemented between now and Election Day that would have a material enough impact on the American people that they would say, ‘Actually this guy is doing pretty good with the economy.’″
On foreign policy, the poll also showed strong discontent with Trump’s deeply unpopular war in Iran, which has seen oil and gas prices spike.
Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes in Iran angered some of his MAGA base, who backed him partly for his pledge of “no new wars.”
Economist/YouGov polling conducted before the conflict indicated that 53 percent of Trump voters opposed U.S. involvement in Iran, and critics now argue the current situation represents a departure from his promise to end “forever wars.”
The CNBC poll showed that groups that were key to Trump’s 2024 coalition—Latinos, young men, independents and White voters without college degrees—are broadly negative on the handling of the Iran war.
Overall, a plurality of Americans say the Iran conflict has made them feel less secure, with 48 percent reporting they feel “less safe” compared with 30 percent who say they feel safer.
On the broader costs of the war, 64 percent say the conflict is not worth the financial strain and rising gasoline prices it has brought.
The economic impact is also being felt directly in household behavior, with majorities reporting cutbacks on non-essential spending and plans to reduce travel due to higher fuel costs.
In total, nearly 80 percent of Americans say they have taken some form of financial action in response to higher prices at the pump, including increased reliance on credit cards and reductions in spending even on essentials.
