Trump’s Approval Rating: What the Latest Polls Reveal as Midterms Loom
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, President Donald Trump’s approval rating remains a key indicator of how his party might perform in the battle for Congress. According to the latest NBC News average of polls, his approval rating has hovered around 38 percent for months, with high-quality pollsters recently finding it as low as 30 percent and as high as 40 percent. The most recent survey from Impact Research/National Research Inc. shows a stark divide: 37% approve of the job Trump is doing, while 60% disapprove. This negative net approval could spell trouble for Republicans in the upcoming midterms.
In a midterm election year, a president’s job approval rating is often seen as a referendum on the party in power. With Trump’s approval underwater, Democrats may have an advantage in their quest to control Congress. The latest Times/Siena survey also found that the economy and cost of living are among voters’ major concerns—issues that could shape the electoral landscape. As the 2026 Poll Tracker indicates, polls for the Senate, House, Governor, and President are all being closely monitored, and Trump’s approval rating will be a critical data point.
Polling methodology varies, but the NBC News average includes a mix of telephone interviews (about 75% of completed interviews, with roughly 15% on landlines and 85% on cellphones) and the remainder via text message to complete online. This diverse approach aims to capture a representative sample of the electorate. The Silver Bulletin presidential approval ratings page serves as a landing page for these updates, with charts regularly refreshed as new polls come in. As the midterms draw closer, all eyes will be on whether Trump’s approval rating can recover or if it will remain a drag on his party’s prospects.
Shimanta Das 
