Trump Approval Rating Double-Digits Higher Than Satisfaction With Democrats

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has plummeted to 37 percent, a second-term low, as voters reject his decision to go to war with Iran and express deepening anxiety about the economy, according to a New York Times/Siena poll conducted May 11-15.

Nearly two-thirds of voters said going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, while just 31 percent approve of how Trump is managing the conflict. Sixty-four percent disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy.

Yet even as Trump’s standing erodes, the Democratic Party faces its own brand crisis. Just 26 percent of voters say they are satisfied with Democrats-11 points lower than Trump’s approval rating.

Democratic Disconnect

After more than a year of effort to rebuild their brand and demonstrate they understand voter concerns, Democrats have made no measurable gains in overall satisfaction.

Forty-four percent of Democrats describe being unsatisfied with their party, compared to 23 percent of Republicans who express the same reservations about theirs. Yet despite the satisfaction deficit, Democrats lead the generic 2026 midterm election ballot 50 percent to 39 percent. Among independent voters, their advantage stretches to 18 points.

Early indicators suggest higher Democratic voter enthusiasm, with Democrats 8 percentage points more likely than Republicans to say they will almost certainly vote in the midterms. The disconnect suggests voters may be backing Democrats primarily as a rejection of Trump rather than an embrace of the party.

Trump’s disapproval cut across party lines. Sixty-nine percent of independents disapprove of his job performance, up from 62 percent in January. Forty-seven percent of independents said his policies have hurt them personally, up from 41 percent last fall. Overall, 44 percent of voters said Trump’s policies have hurt them, up from 36 percent last fall.

Trump’s Economic Liability

On the economy, 64 percent disapprove of how he is handling the issue versus 33 percent who approve, a 31-point difference. On the cost of living, he faces an even worse 41-point spread.

Broader economic sentiment has darkened sharply. The share of voters rating the economy as poor jumped 11 percentage points since January, reaching nearly half of all voters at 49 percent. Only 18 percent rate conditions as good. Even among Republicans, half describe the economy as fair or poor.

The share of voters who said the country is on the right track fell from 37 percent in January to 32 percent in May, driven largely by a 12-point drop among Republicans.

Trump’s approval on immigration, his strongest issue, remains relatively steady at 41 percent. On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 31 percent approve while 65 percent disapprove.

Yet Republicans retain structural advantages heading into the midterms. The party has potentially gained six to 10 seats in the House through aggressive redistricting in red states.

Trump’s Second-Term Low Is Real

The New York Times/Siena finding is not an outlier. Multiple major pollsters have confirmed that Trump’s approval has fallen to historic lows for his second term, driven by the Iran war and economic deterioration.

• The Pew Research Center found Trump’s approval at 34 percent in a survey conducted April 20-26, the lowest mark of his second term.
• The Silver Bulletin polling average shows his net approval hit -18.9 with registered voters on May 17, reaching -20.6 among all U.S. adults, with roughly 48 percent strongly disapproving.
• An Economist/YouGov poll found Trump’s overall approval at 36 percent with 58 percent disapproving, for a net approval of -22.
• Among independents, Trump’s net approval reached -38, marking an 18-point drop from May 2025.
• A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found Americans broadly dissatisfied with Trump’s leadership on the Iran war, with Democrats significantly more motivated to vote.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 8:04 AM.