By P.K.Balachandran/Daily Mirror

Colombo, August 12 – As of August 2025, six months into Donald Trump’s second term as US President, his approval ratings hover between 37% and 50% across national polls, reflecting a polarized public despite legislative successes like the “Big Beautiful Bill” and widespread tariffs on imports from 180 countries.

These ratings mark the lowest point of his second term, revealing challenges in maintaining broad support.

His ratings are very high among fellow Republicans but is very low among Democrats and somewhat better among Independents. However, if he swings a deal on Russia and Ukraine in his talks with Putin in Alaska on August 15, his overall ratings could go up significantly.

Snapshots of Polls

USA TODAY has given a snapshot of the polls conducted by various organizations in July.

In Gallup Poll (held between July 7 and 21), Trump’s approval stood at 37%. Disapproval was 58%. Approval was the lowest in his second term to date. There was a 10-point drop from the 47% approval at the start of his term in January 2025.

Support among independents was at 29%, down 17 points from January, while Republicans’ support remained at a high 89%. Democrats’ approval was a mere 2%.

Reuters/Ipsos Poll (conducted between July 15 and 16) reported 41% approval and 54% disapproval, unchanged from June. Again, it reflected Trump’s lowest approval in this poll series. Only a third of independents approved. Among Republicans approval was a high 83% but among Democrats it was only 3%.

Fox News (Beacon Research/Shaw & Co), poll held between July 18 and 21,) showed 46% approval and 54% disapproval among 1,000 registered voters. In the Fox News poll, Trump’s performance in border security got 56% approval, while inflation and tariffs got only 36% support.

Emerson Poll (conducted between July 21 and 22) reported 46% approval and 47% disapproval. Immigration was the strongest point for Trump showing 45% approval.

Trafalgar/InsiderAdvantage Poll (conducted in July) showed 50% approval and 48% disapproval, indicating a slight majority support. Rasmussen Reports (done on July 28 ) showed  47% approval and 51% disapproval, down from 52% approval on May 29.

The New York Times Polling Average (August 4, 2025) indicated 44% approval and 53% disapproval.

Trump’s approval ratings were lower than at the start of his term, with disapproval often exceeding approval. The political climate is polarized with Republicans strongly supporting him and independents and Democrats, being against him, with the Democrats being strongly opposed.

Key Issues

Immigration has been a cornerstone of Trump’s platform, yet public approval of his handling of the issue had waned.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research noted a 6-point drop in approval from March to July, while Reuters/Ipsos reported 41% approval.

The “visceral” images of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, often targeting non-criminal undocumented immigrants, had alienated some voters who supported Trump’s campaign focus on deporting criminals only.

The discrepancy between campaign promises and implementation had hurt Trump’s standing, despite a reported drop in illegal border crossings to historic lows.

Trump’s economic policies, particularly his tariffs on 180 countries, on August 1 and 9, aimed to bolster American jobs and revenue. While he secured trade deals with partners like the European Union, public perception of his tariff strategy was mixed.

The Hill quotes Charles Franklin of the Marquette Law School Poll, to say that fears of tariffs causing economic downturns had not fully materialized. This helped Trump maintain 90% support among Republicans.

However, the back-and-forth announcements on tariffs and the delays in making decisions were seen as being erratic, dragging down overall approval.

Despite Trump’s playing with the US economy with attacks on multiple fronts, inflation had remained stable, and the stock market had risen. But those gains were not translated into widespread public support, with only 36% approving Trump’s handling of inflation as per the Fox News poll.

Unfulfilled Promises

Jonathan Hanson, a political science professor at the University of Michigan, told The Hill that Trump’s inability to lower prices or resolve conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East was a key factor in his declining approval rating.

Despite legislative successes like the “Big Beautiful Bill” and executive actions reducing federal workers, these policies had not resonated with the broader public.

Hanson noted that while Trump had momentum in implementing his vision, many of these policies turned out to be unpopular, contributing to his low ratings among independents and Democrats.

Brighter Side

Despite the grim polling results, Trump had achieved significant policy victories, particularly for conservative voters.

The Los Angeles Times, in a piece by Josh Hammer, credits Trump with a fast-paced start to his second term. The stock market had risen significantly, tariffs were generating substantial Treasury revenue, and Trump renewed his 2017 tax cuts while adding tax breaks on tips and overtime pay. Major trade deals had been finalized, and blue-chip companies had announced significant investments in the US.

Trump had targeted the administrative state, consolidating executive power through court wins and executive orders. He had protected women’s sports and female inmates from policies involving biological males, restricted transgender medical interventions for minors, and partially defunded Planned Parenthood. His efforts against “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives had resonated with conservatives. Illegal border crossings had dropped to historic lows, fulfilling a key campaign promise.

In foreign policy, Trump’s limited incursion in the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict in 2025 weakened Iran’s nuclear program without American casualties. NATO nations were increasing defence spending, and Trump had brokered peace between India and Pakistan. However, a Russia-Ukraine peace deal remained elusive.

These achievements have solidified Trump’s 90% approval among Republicans, but they had not broadened his appeal to independents or Democrats, limiting his overall approval rating.

Honeymoon Doesn’t Last for Ever

To be realistic, a fall in approval over time has to be expected. Former President Joe Biden’s approval had also dropped to the low-40s after an initial honeymoon period. Public opinion shifts as voters react to policy changes, often turning against Presidents.

The Hill predicted that Trump’s low ratings could impact the Republican Party’s prospects, given the fact that the 22nd Amendment of the US constitution prevents him from running for  a third term.

Strong Republican support contrasted with weak backing from independents and Democrats, highlighting the challenges of governing in a divided nation. As Trump continues his term, his ability to address these key issues will determine whether his ratings recover or further decline, with implications for the Republican Party’s future.

Ukraine Is Now Key

Finding a solution to the Ukraine issue is not key for Trump’s overall status in the US. If he swings a deal on Russia and Ukraine in his talks with Putin in Alaska on August 15, his overall ratings could go up significantly. 

 Trump is to meet Russian President Putin in Alaska on August 15. He is hopeful about striking a deal. This optimistic sentiment is backed by a poll conducted by the American sociological service Gallup.

According to Gallop poll, the share of Ukrainians who favour a peaceful resolution of the conflict with Russia has tripled since 2022 to 69%, In 2022, 73% of respondents were in favour of continuing the war to a victorious end, while 22% of respondents believed that Kiev should strive to end the conflict as soon as possible through negotiations. Now these figures are 24% and 69%, respectively.

After a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump said that he saw good prospects for resolving the conflict and holding a meeting with both Putin and Vladimir Zelensky.

Therefore, Trump has another chance to pull it off on the Ukrainian front. He could get America a good deal and secure peace in Europe, thereby getting higher approvals in US opinion polls than is the case now.  

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