Trump Reaches Record Approval as Polls Show Americans Embrace His Policies
Recent polls indicate that President Donald Trump’s initial actions in his second term are earning him the highest approval ratings of his political career. This marks a sharp turnaround from early 2021, when he left office with the lowest support of his presidency.
A survey conducted by CBS News and YouGov in early February revealed that 53% of respondents approved of Trump’s performance.
This figure surpasses Trump’s share of the popular vote in the 2024 election and represents a significant improvement from his 33% approval rating in 2021, reported in a separate poll.
Additional metrics also highlight a surge in support during his second term.
At the end of January, Gallup reported that Trump achieved a 47% approval rating—the highest score the organization has recorded for him.
Polls also reflect voter alignment with several key components of Trump’s agenda.
For instance, a CBS poll found that 59% of participants supported Trump’s management of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Meanwhile, 54% backed his stance on immigration, which includes plans to deport millions of undocumented individuals.
Opinions on other policy areas revealed partisan divides. One example is the administration's initiative to collaborate with Elon Musk via the Department of Government Efficiency to cut costs.
In total, 31% of respondents agreed that Elon Musk and the department should have no influence over government operations or spending. In contrast, 23% and 28% said Musk should have "a lot" or "some" influence, respectively.
Republicans strongly endorsed Musk’s involvement, with 30% believing he should have significant authority. Conversely, nearly half of Democrats said Musk should have no role whatsoever.
The public’s view of Trump has evolved significantly since his first election in 2016, with his absence from office seemingly improving his favorability.
The adage “absence makes the heart grow fonder” appears true for the former and current president, as a new poll suggests a positive shift in how Americans perceive him.
A CNN survey released Thursday revealed that six in ten Americans believe Trump will perform a “very good” or “fairly good” job during his second term, while 43% predict he will do a “fairly poor” or “very poor” job, as reported by The Hill.
"Among respondents, 55% approve of the president-elect’s handling of his transition, while 45% disapprove. The figures are unchanged from the December iteration of the survey,” the report stated.
"Trump’s favorability is nearly evenly split, with 46% expressing a favorable opinion and 48% holding an unfavorable view. Despite Republicans holding control of the House, Senate, and White House, 53% of respondents said GOP control is 'bad' for the country," it continued.
“Another 56% said they think economic conditions a year from now will be either very or somewhat good,” the report added.
A striking 80% of respondents indicated they believe Trump when he pledges to impose tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico.
“At 47%, President Donald Trump’s initial job approval rating for his second term is similar to the inaugural 45% reading during his first term, again placing him below all other elected presidents dating back to 1953. Trump remains the only elected president with sub-50% initial approval ratings, and his latest disapproval rating (48%) is three percentage points higher than in 2017, marking a new high for inaugural ratings,” Gallup reported in January.
“Trump’s current job approval rating, from Gallup’s Jan. 21-27 poll, is not significantly different from the 51% readings earned by George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan in the early days of their presidencies. However, initial evaluations of Trump differ in that Americans are much more likely to disapprove of his performance rather than have no opinion, as was the case for the elder Bush and Reagan,” the outlet noted.