Trump’s popularity heading into 2026

President Donald Trump’s popularity has slipped in recent months, though polls differ on how big a decline. The latest AP-NORC survey puts his overall job approval at 42%, while Gallup shows it closer to 36%, a second-term low. On specific issues, like the economy, immigration and health care, Americans are even more dissatisfied.

Last week, Trump kicked off a series of events designed to boost his “affordability” message, including a stop in the Poconos. At a rally billed as an effort to show empathy for the economic pressures facing Americans, Trump instead questioned the idea of “affordability,” calling it a hoax and suggesting Americans tighten their belts by spending less on things like pencils and dolls. Vice President JD Vance is set to visit the Lehigh Valley tomorrow with more economic messaging amid growing discontent.

Tensions have also emerged within the MAGA base over the fight surrounding the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Former Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly broken with him over the issue, as well as over his failure to focus on cost-of-living issues. Meanwhile, in Indiana last week, a Republican-controlled state senate voted against a gerrymandered map backed by Trump and his allies. The vote was widely viewed as a rebuke of Trump’s influence within the party.

In this episode, we examine what’s driving Trump’s declining popularity: Is it a temporary dip, or a deeper erosion of support among his own voters? And what could these trends mean for the GOP heading into the 2026 midterm elections?

Guests:

Mustafa Rashed, president and CEO of Bellevue Strategies

Terry Tracy,  CEO of Broad + Liberty 

Victor Martinez, host of Politics En Español US