Five months into his second term, Donald Trump faces a stark political reality that his team couldn’t have anticipated: his approval ratings have plummeted to their lowest levels since returning to office, revealing deep cracks in public support across virtually every major policy area. The latest polling data paints a troubling picture for a president who promised to govern differently than his predecessor, but instead finds himself grappling with declining approval on issues that were once his political strengths.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A Comprehensive Breakdown
A new poll released by Quinnipiac University on Wednesday (June 11) revealed that just 38 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s work as president, while 54 percent disapprove overall. This represents a significant decline from his post-inauguration honeymoon period and marks the first time Trump’s approval has dipped below 40 percent during his second term.
The trajectory tells a concerning story for the Trump administration. Trump enjoyed an all-time high job approval rating of 46 percent when he returned to office in January. In February, that number slumped to 45 percent; in March, to 42 percent; and in April, to 41 percent. The June poll shows a continuation of this downward trend, with Trump losing 3 percentage points since April.
The poll was conducted among 1,265 self-identified registered voters from June 5 to June 9, with a margin of error of 2.8 percent, making it a statistically significant representation of American public opinion during a particularly turbulent period for the administration.
Issue-by-Issue Analysis: Struggles Across the Board
What makes these numbers particularly striking is that Trump is facing disapproval across virtually every major policy area, including those where he traditionally performed well.
Immigration: A Declining Strength
Perhaps most surprising is Trump’s declining support on immigration, an issue that has been central to his political brand since 2015. The poll found that 43 percent approved of how the president is handling immigration, while 54 percent disapproved. This represents a decline from April, when 45 percent approved and 50 percent disapproved of his immigration handling.
The decline comes at a particularly challenging time for the administration’s immigration agenda. Trump deployed the National Guard and later 700 Marines to Los Angeles, responding to reports of violence targeting law enforcement, particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carrying out deportation raids. Anti-ICE protests have erupted in major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., creating a backdrop of civil unrest that may be influencing public opinion.
On deportations specifically, Trump’s approval has declined from 42 percent to 40 percent, while disapproval has climbed from 53 percent to 56 percent. This suggests that even Trump’s hardline approach to immigration enforcement is not resonating with voters as it once did.
