> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.europeans.today/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Trump approval falls to level not seen since first term - URL: https://www.europeans.today/2025/09/18/trump-approval-falls-to-level-unseen-since-first-term/ - Published: 2025-09-18T00:05:00.000Z - Updated: 2025-09-18T14:41:02.000Z - Description: Gallup data shows the U.S. President struggling with the same weak support he faced in 2017. - Author: TODAY - Tags: Opinion Polls, Trump 2.0, US Politics, Latest News, Donald Trump, Stats, United States, Gallup Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped back to levels not seen since his first months in office, according to [Gallup](https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx?ref=europeans.today). The polling institute reported that in July, his support fell to **37%**, before edging up to **40%** in August, reflecting the weakest points of his presidency. The only lower figures recorded were in August 2017, when his approval slipped to **35%**, and in January 2021, when it ended at **34%**. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2025/09/0000389d-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2025/09/0000389e.jpg) Donald Trump’s First & Second-Term Job Approval Rating Trends | [GALLUP](https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx?ref=europeans.today) Trump’s second-term approval has mirrored the poor results at the start of his first term, underscoring a persistent struggle to consolidate support among the wider public. The decline coincides with Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, where [he was received with high honours](https://www.europeans.today/2025/09/16/donald-trumps-second-state-visit-to-the-uk-pageantry-politics-and-pitfalls/). The ceremonial welcome provided a sharp contrast to headlines at home, which focused on public discontent. Donald Trump’s approval trajectory has been unusually volatile compared to that of recent presidents. He first entered office in January 2017 with **45%** support, quickly fell to **35%** within eight months, then rebounded to the **40**–**42%** range by mid-2018\. Unlike his predecessors, he later exceeded his starting figure, climbing to **49%** in January 2022 during Senate impeachment proceedings. At that stage, Trump overtook Barack Obama’s rating at the same point in office, highlighting a rare moment when his numbers rose above initial expectations. Joe Biden, by contrast, never regained early momentum. His ratings stagnated around the **40%** mark throughout much of his presidency. By January 2024, as economic pressures mounted and internal party disputes weakened his reelection campaign, his approval rating had dropped to **41%**. Obama also faced an early slide. His initial popularity collapsed more sharply than either of his successors, driven by partisan disputes over stimulus spending and the Affordable Care Act. By January 2012, during a bruising battle with Republicans over the debt ceiling and amid weak job creation, his rating stood at **45%**. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2025/09/0000389c-min.jpg) Donald Trump’s Presidential Job Approval Ratings, Historical Comparisons. | [GALLUP](https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx?ref=europeans.today) Despite differences in governing style, Obama, Trump, and Biden all experienced sharp early declines in public support, converging around similar levels during their third year in office. The long-term comparison illustrates a broader shift in American politics. Presidents once enjoyed extended “honeymoon” periods with approval above **60%**. Now, polarisation has eroded that cushion, leaving leaders vulnerable to rapid downturns and narrow bands of support. Trump’s current **40%** underscores this reality. While momentary spikes remain possible, Gallup’s historical data suggests that once ratings sink into the high 30s, sustained recovery is rare. With the United States heading into another contentious election season (Midterms), the persistence of these low figures could complicate Trump’s attempts to secure political legitimacy at home, even as he enjoys ceremonial prestige abroad. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/15/40/1540bec0-7154-4feb-b8e1-97f579155b08/content/images/2021/09/end-flat-1.png) ### ### **GOING FURTHER:** - ###### [Presidential Approval Ratings -- Donald Trump](https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx?ref=europeans.today) | GALLUP --- ### **Sources:** ##### ▪ **Cover:** Flickr/[The White House](https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/54791996185/?ref=europeans.today). (Licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=europeans.today).) ![Creative Commons License](https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-sa/4.0/88x31.png "Cover photograph license") ---