Overview

• An Economist/YouGov survey conducted Aug. 15–18 finds 40% approve and 56% disapprove of the president’s job performance, with 47% strongly disapproving versus 23% strongly approving.
• A Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed Aug. 18 also pegs approval at 40%, about seven points lower than in January and matching the lowest level of his current term.
• Newsweek’s roundup reports all but three major polls in the past week show a negative approval balance, even as polling averages hover in the mid-40s for approval and around 51% for disapproval.
• Support shows sharp partisan lines and demographic splits, with approval highest among adults 65+ (about 48%), lowest among 18–29-year-olds (about 29%), and weakening among Hispanic voters in the Reuters/Ipsos data.
• Coverage attributes the slide to concerns over inflation and tariffs, aggressive immigration enforcement, and scrutiny of Russia–Ukraine diplomacy, with analysts warning of consequences for this year’s New Jersey and Virginia governor races and the 2026 midterms.