Poll: Majority disapproves of Trump job performance
By: Kathryn Palmer
USA Today
..... A majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's job performance and have unfavorable opinions on some of his signature policies according to a recent national poll.
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In a four-day Washington Post-Iposos poll released September 18, [2025] the president's approval rating stood at 43%, with 56% disapproving. The numbers are a slight uptick in his overall rating compared with the pollsters' last survey in April, [2025] which saw a near-historic low approval of 39% with a similar 55% disapproval.
..... The results hew closely to the New York Times' most recent polling average, which put Trump at a 43% approachable and 54% disapprove as of September 21. [2025] The RealClearPolitics polling average stands a few points higher, with an average approval of 46% and a 52% disapproval, also as of September 21. [2025]
..... The Post's poll also found that many Americans disprove of Trump's handling so some of the top issues facing the country, including the economy, immigration, tariffs, crime and the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.
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The survey was conducted September 11-15 [2025] among 2,513 U.S. adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
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Crime was ranked as Trump's best issue in the poll. Still, 54% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the nation's crime, and 44% approved.
..... As with the last several months of issue-specific surveys, tariffs and the economy neared Trump his lowest approval numbers. When it comes to the administration's tariffs on imported goods, 34% say they approve of the measure while 64% disapprove. On the economy, the survey found a 40% overall approval of the president;s actions, with 59% disapproving.
..... That's compared to a 44% approval rating of his mitigation policies, shaking out to a 55% majority disapproval.
..... Opinions on the president's handling of the two most significant foreign policy crisis - the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars - hit similarly low benchmarks with majority disapprovals. When it comes to Israel and Hamas, the poll found a 39% approve and 58% disapproval. Approval of the president's work on the Russia-Ukraine war was at 38%, with 60% disapproving.
..... Beyond specific actions, the poll finds 62% of Americans think Trump has gone beyond his authority as presidents, while 36% think he has appropriated. In April, [2025] that same question garnered a slightly more positive split, with 60% saying he overstepped his authority, and 30% saying he had not overstepped.
..... In the Washington Post-Ipsos poll,37% said they approve of Trump's August deployment of National Guard troops to Washington and temporary takeover of the city's police department. the moves, which Trump has claimed is in response to crime rates, received a 47% disapproval rate.
..... The president announced on September 15 [2025] he is deploying the national Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, and has discussed sending to other cites as well. The poll found opinions on the administration's expansion of its deployment of military forces more divided, with 42% supporting the idea and 46% opposing it.