After January 6, 2021, Trump’s disapproval peaked at 57.9%, marking the worst point of his presidency at the time, a record that stood for years without being surpassed.
That changed this week.
The RealClearPolitics average now places his disapproval at 58.3%, setting a new all-time high across both terms combined and marking the worst reading of his entire political career.
RealClearPolitics president Tom Bevan highlighted the milestone on X, writing: “Trump’s disapproval rating today (58.3%) is higher than its highest point in his first term (57.9%), which occurred after January 6, 2021.” The figure now stands not just as a second-term low point, but as a full career high in disapproval across both presidencies.
Trump’s disapproval rating today (58.3%) is higher than its highest point in his first term (57.9%), which occurred after January 6, 2021. pic.twitter.com/gNDgSMfIAs
— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) May 25, 2026
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And the reason behind it is becoming increasingly clear.
The economy continues to drive the public mood. An AP-NORC poll shows 67% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 71% of independents, while 7 in 10 respondents describe themselves as either angry or frustrated with economic conditions.
The Iran war is running at nearly $900 million a day in public spending. Trump has downplayed the cost as “peanuts” and said: “I appreciate everyone putting up with it for a little while; it won’t be much longer.”
The gap between that message and public experience has remained wide.
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters he was aware the war was unpopular, before immediately complicating that position. “Everyone tells me it’s unpopular, but I think it’s very popular,” he said. “Whether it’s popular or not popular, I have to do it, because I’m not going to let the world be blown up on my watch. Not gonna happen.”
The shift is especially visible among key voting groups.
Among independents, approval has dropped from 41% at inauguration to 28% today. Even among Republicans outside the MAGA base, approval has fallen from 90% to around 70% since January 2025. The MAGA core remains steady at roughly 98%, while everyone else has moved in a different direction since late February.
Democrats now lead on the generic congressional ballot by double digits, with 50% of voters preferring Democratic control of Congress compared to 42% for Republicans. Republican megadonor Ken Griffin has described a Democratic House takeover as “almost a certainty,” while Cook Political Report has shifted several competitive districts toward Democrats in its latest ratings.
Against that backdrop, Trump spent Memorial Day posting three attacks on Democrats before mentioning fallen service members briefly in a second post.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
