Right now, the biggest political story in America is the Jeffrey Epstein saga. But the most important political story in America is something else altogether — the cratering popularity of President Donald Trump.
Look at any polling aggregator you want, Real Clear Politics, Nate Silver or Elliott Morris. They all agree: Trump is more unpopular than at any other point in his presidency, and the numbers are getting worse.
Indeed, according to a new Gallup poll that dropped Thursday morning, Trump’s approval is at a rock bottom 37% — and a measly 29% among independents.
But what is most striking about Trump’s sinking approval ratings are the reasons he’s unpopular. During the 2024 campaign, Trump ran on a platform of anti-immigrant zealotry and mass deportation. He boasted that he was the man who could fix the U.S. economy and build support over public anger about rising inflation under President Joe Biden.
Yet, on both issues, the American people are souring on the president.
What is most striking about Trump’s sinking approval ratings are the reasons he’s unpopular.
Take immigration, which was the centerpiece of Trump’s 2024 campaign message and arguably the previous White House’s most significant political vulnerability.
A recent Gallup poll gives Trump a 35% approval rating on immigration policy — with 62% disapproving. In fact, twice as many U.S. adults strongly disapprove of his handling of the issue as approve of it.
According to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, there’s been a 20-point shift in support of Trump’s mass deportations policy since February — with approval of the policy dropping from 59% to 49% and disapproval rising from 41% to 51%. Even more notable is a 10-point shift against the White House on mass deportations since June. It appears that as Americans see and hear more and more news stories about the excesses of ICE agents and the tales of those caught up in Trump’s deportation dragnet, the less they like it.
CNN polling finds a similar result, with nearly 6 in 10 U.S. adults opposed to deporting noncriminal undocumented immigrants and 57% balking at the construction of “detention facilities” like the so-called Alligator Alcatraz facility in Florida.
But as bad as Trump’s numbers are on immigration, they are arguably worse on the economy.
A CBS News/YouGov poll from earlier in the week asked U.S. adults how Trump’s policies were affecting them financially — 18% said better off, 32% said the same, and half, 50%, said worse.
As inflation steadily rises, there are signs that people are holding Trump responsible for the increasing prices. The same poll found that a whopping 62% believe Trump’s policies are making food and groceries more expensive.








