President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 33%, its lowest level across his two terms in office, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released just over two weeks before the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The survey, published Sunday, October 18, also found that 66% of Americans disapprove of his job performance, a record high in this polling series.
Why it matters: Midterm elections often serve as a referendum on the sitting president, and control of Congress will influence Trump's ability to advance his legislative agenda. However, a single national poll offers only a snapshot of public opinion and cannot predict the outcome of individual congressional races.
Trump Approval Rating Hits Record Low of 33% Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections – Infographic: MundoNow Trump Approval Rating Has Been Declining for Months. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll surveyed 2,545 U.S. adults from October 9 to 13 in English and Spanish, with a margin of error of ±2 percentage points. Trump's approval rating stood at 41% on October 28, 2025, and 37% in July 2026. Among registered voters, 37% now approve of his performance, while 63% disapprove.
The decline is particularly evident among several groups. Among independents, Trump's approval rating has fallen to 22%, a record low. Among Republicans, 79% approve of the president's performance, down from 88% at the beginning of his second term.
Other recent surveys show similar results: Pew Research Center recorded 30% approval (September 28 to October 4); AP-NORC found 35% (October 8 to 12); Fox News reported 36% among registered voters (October 9 to 12); and NBC News Decision Desk/SurveyMonkey found 34% approval and 66% disapproval. In the NBC survey, Trump's approval rating among Latino adults stands at 31%. For more on this voting bloc, see our report on the recent survey of Latino voters.
According to the ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, Trump's approval rating on the cost of living stands at 21%, while 23% approve of his handling of inflation and 28% approve of his handling of the economy, the latter a record low across his two terms. On Iran, 27% approve of his performance, while 65% believe using military force against the country was a mistake.
Gasoline prices are another major concern: 71% of respondents say gasoline is unaffordable, compared with 28% in February, before the war with Iran. The national average price of gasoline remained above $4 per gallon for a record 158 days in 2026. Additionally, 48% say they are «not as well off» as when Trump took office, while 72% believe the country is headed in the wrong direction.
Immigration remains Trump's strongest issue in the poll, although his ratings are still negative: 38% approve of his handling of immigration, while 61% disapprove. In the NBC survey, only 14% expect to receive the $5,000 payment Trump promised if Republicans retain control of Congress.
The White House has rejected negative interpretations of the polls. Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on X in October: «Polls were wrong in 2016, 2020, and 2024.» Trump has also dismissed unfavorable surveys as «fake,» referring in August to the «fake poll numbers of the radical left.»
In response to Fox News polling, Deputy Press Secretary Taylor Rogers defended the president's record, saying he «has delivered.» According to the Daily Beast, on Sunday, October 18, Trump shared an August CNN clip on Truth Social discussing a May poll that ranked him as the most admired president among Republican respondents.
Dissatisfaction with Trump does not necessarily translate into enthusiasm for Democrats before the 2026 midterm elections. In the NBC poll, 43% of respondents view the Democratic Party favorably, while 57% view it unfavorably. The Republican Party receives even lower ratings, with 37% favorable and 63% unfavorable.
Nevertheless, the ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll shows Democrats leading Republicans in the generic House ballot, 52% to 44% among likely voters, compared with a three-point Democratic advantage in July. Additionally, 58% prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress to serve as a counterbalance to Trump, while 39% favor a Republican-controlled Congress that supports his agenda.
Past elections provide important context. In fall 2018, Democrats held an 11-point advantage among registered voters in the same polling series and went on to win control of the House. In 2022, the parties were nearly tied in polling before Republicans won the chamber, according to ABC News. For more on the congressional battlegrounds, see the key states in the midterm elections.
The midterm elections will take place Tuesday, November 3, and early voting is already underway in several states. Voters can check their registration status and learn about voting requirements at vote.gov before their state's deadline.
Sources: ABC News; Ipsos, full results; NBC News; Newsweek (Fox News poll); CNN, poll tracking; The Daily Beast. Data consulted on October 19, 2026.
