President Trump’s approval ratings in several polls have continued to decline several issues sparking sharp disapproval.
The newest new Reuters/ Ipsos poll, which is done weekly indicated a new disapproval low at 59% on the issue of immigration.
Disapproval of Trump’s 2025–2026 immigration policies is primarily driven by public opposition to mass deportations, harsh detention practices, and the perceived inhumanity of actions like family separations and ending asylum access.
A majority of Americans consider the deportation efforts too harsh, with rising disapproval among independents and even some Republicans. The recent shooting deaths of American citizens by ICE are exacerbating the spiral down. With the mid-term elections approaching, some leading Republicans are demanding a thorough investigation after a second Minnesota resident was killed by ICE, a warning that backlash is brewing to the Trump administration’s heavy-handed approach. Democrats are already demanding DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's impeachment, and the handling of Alex Pretti's death threatens the administration's credibility even among allies.
Concerning Trump’s handling of the economy, polls show only an overall 35% approval rating as of Jan. 26, leaving 56% of Americans unhappy with his performance and the lowest in both his first and second terms of office.
Just 34% of independent voters told the New York Times/Siena poll that they approve of the president’s job performance, with 52% saying the country is worse off than it was last year before Trump took office, Trump threatened to sue the Times when the poll was released.
Polling shows that civil liberties are emerging as a top-tier concern for U.S. voters, frequently ranking alongside economic issues as a critical, motivating factor in upcoming elections, according to 2025-2026 data. Concerns are driven by perceived threats to democratic institutions, reproductive rights, and voting access, with a significant increase in prioritization among Democrats, independents, and younger voters.
Voters are highly concerned with “systemic” threats including voter suppression laws, changes to voter roll management, and attempts by the federal government to access state voter data.
Another poll found that 81% of voters believe American democracy is under threat, and 73% are concerned about political violence following elections. Additionally, increased attention is being paid to potential abuses of federal law enforcement, particularly regarding the use of 'radical' tactics against protesters and in immigration enforcement As of early 2026, concern for civil liberties has in some polls overtaken immigration as a primary priority for voters.
Independents and voters under 30 have significantly increased their prioritization of civil liberties, with 20% of young voters identifying it as their top issue by August 2025.
Key factors for these voters include voter privacy, free speech and assembly, radical justice addressing disparities in criminal legal systems.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights found voters across the country are very worried about political violence (73%) and threats to democracy (81%) .
An overwhelming majority (87%) of voters are more concerned that their rights and freedoms will be taken away (67%), particularly those in swing states (91%).
President Donald Trump threatened legal consequences for The New York Times after a poll was released by the outlet found that independent voters have soured on his leadership at the one-year mark of his second term, with 52% believing the country is now worse off and 24% saying it is better.