Nicolai Haugsted
It doesn’t look good for the US President.
Political honeymoon periods rarely last forever.
Fresh polling suggests Donald Trump may have reached a particularly uncomfortable milestone, with a new survey indicating that dissatisfaction with his presidency has climbed to its highest level since returning to the White House.
Results point to growing frustration across several major policy areas, including the economy, inflation and the administration’s handling of the conflict involving Iran.
Approval Rating Falls Into New Territory
According to polling conducted by Big Data Poll, Trump’s overall approval rating dropped to 39.4 percent in May.
Figure marks a significant decline from the 44.8 percent recorded in January and represents the first time his rating has fallen into the 30s during his second term.
More than 57 percent of registered voters said they disapprove of the job he is doing, while nearly half reported strongly disapproving.
Pollsters described the result as a new low point for the administration.
Economy No Longer Providing Support
Economic issues, traditionally considered one of Trump’s strongest political assets, also produced troubling numbers.
Only 38.5 percent of respondents approved of the president’s handling of jobs and the economy, while almost 57 percent expressed dissatisfaction.
Cost-of-living concerns generated even more negative reactions.
Just 29 percent approved of the administration’s performance on affordability, compared with more than two-thirds who disapproved.
Iran Conflict Weighs on Public Opinion
Foreign policy appears to be adding further pressure.
Survey found that 58.3 percent disapproved of Trump’s management of the situation involving Iran, while only 33.7 percent approved.
Majority of respondents also opposed US military strikes against Iran.
Rich Baris, director of Big Data Poll, offered a stark assessment of the political mood.
“After a year of voters making themselves clear while granting an unheard-of amount of political grace, Republicans have dug themselves into a massive hole by not heeding their warnings.”
Baris later added: “Voters have run out of patience with the administration and the majority party.”
One Bright Spot for Republicans
Poll did contain at least one encouraging finding for the Republican Party.
On immigration and border security, respondents continued to express slightly greater confidence in Republicans than Democrats.
Forty-two percent said they trusted Republicans most on the issue, compared with 39.1 percent who favored Democrats.
Result suggests that while broader approval ratings are slipping, some core policy areas remain politically favorable for the president’s party.
White House Pushes Back
Administration officials rejected the significance of the survey and pointed instead to Trump’s election victory.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek: “The ultimate poll was November 5, 2024, when nearly 80 million Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.”
Ingle also defended the administration’s record.
“No other president in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more.”
White House further argued that major policy achievements are already being delivered and maintained that the administration’s broader agenda is only beginning to take shape.
For Trump, latest numbers represent a reminder that election victories do not guarantee lasting political goodwill. With midterm elections drawing closer, both parties will be watching closely to see whether frustration reflected in the latest poll becomes a lasting trend or merely a temporary setback.
