Washington, D.C. — It’s been a rough spring for President Donald Trump. Just 100 days into his second term, the once sky-high approval ratings that greeted his January inauguration are crumbling, with polls showing a sharp drop in support across the country and among nearly every demographic. The numbers don’t lie: Americans are souring on the president, and fast.
Back in January, Trump rode a wave of optimism into the White House, with roughly half the nation backing his return. By April, that goodwill has evaporated. A Pew Research Center survey from April 7-13 pegged his approval at 40%, down seven points since February. Another poll, conducted by Reuters/Ipsos between April 16-21, found just 42% of Americans approving of his performance, a steep slide from the 47% he enjoyed right after taking office. The New York Times, averaging multiple polls, reported on April 25 that Trump’s approval has sunk to about 45%, a seven-point drop from the 52% he held a week after his inauguration.
The erosion isn’t just a national trend—it’s hitting Trump across the board. Among Hispanic voters, his support has tanked from 36% in January to 27% by mid-April, according to Pew. Black voters, never a strong base for Trump, have slipped further, with approval falling from 19% to 14%. Asian American voters, who gave him 47% approval in February, now sit at just 29%. Even among his core supporters, cracks are showing. Pew found that Trump’s less enthusiastic 2024 voters—those who leaned toward him rather than passionately backing him—are jumping ship, with approval among this group dropping from 88% in February to 75% in April.
What’s driving the slide? Trump’s economic moves, particularly his aggressive tariff policies, are taking a beating in public opinion. On April 2, he announced sweeping tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, sparking days of stock market chaos. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from April 16-21 showed just 37% of Americans approving of his handling of the economy, a stunning fall for a president who campaigned as a financial wizard. Another survey, by The Economist/YouGov from April 5-8, found 52% of Americans disapproving of the tariffs, with only 36% in favor. The numbers are even grimmer among independents, where 59% oppose the trade war, per a Post/Ipsos poll.
Trump’s push to slash government programs isn’t winning hearts, either. Pew reported on April 23 that 59% of Americans view his administration’s efforts to shrink federal agencies as “careless.” His immigration policies, while still his strongest suit with 48% expressing confidence in his approach, are losing ground amid legal battles. A clear majority—78% in the Pew survey—say the administration must follow federal court rulings, a jab at Trump’s public defiance of judicial orders.
The demographic breakdown tells a deeper story. Younger voters, especially those under 30, are turning away in droves, with a Harvard Kennedy School poll from March 14-25 showing 61% disapproval among 18- to 29-year-olds. Women, too, are less supportive than men, with The Economist noting on April 23 that gender gaps in approval are widening. Even older voters, typically a reliable Republican bloc, are lukewarm, with pension-age Americans showing only tepid support.
Trump’s economic promises—lower prices, a booming economy—aren’t landing. Consumer confidence took a nosedive in February, with the University of Michigan reporting a nearly 10% drop in sentiment. By April, 55% of Americans in an Economist/YouGov poll disapproved of Trump’s handling of prices and inflation, including one in five of his own 2024 voters. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, released in February, logged its biggest monthly drop since August 2021.
The president’s approval isn’t just slipping—it’s sinking faster than most of his predecessors. Only Bill Clinton, with a 49% approval rating in April 1993, came close to Trump’s current lows among recent presidents at the 100-day mark. Joe Biden, for comparison, stood at 59% in April 2021, per Pew. Trump’s current 40% matches his rating at the same point in his first term, a period marked by controversy and division.
As Trump nears his 100th day in office, the polls paint a stark picture: a president losing ground with the public, his policies under fire, and his once-loyal coalition fraying at the edges. The numbers are shifting daily, but the trend is clear. For now, the honeymoon is over.