President Trump will address Congress amid declining approval ratings, which stand at about 45-48%. Despite a CNN poll indicating that 52% of respondents disapprove of his performance, Trump claims he has a “resounding” mandate from voters. A significant concern is whether congressional Republicans will continue to support him if his approval remains low. Experts predict his ratings will remain around 50% due to a polarized attitude among the public. Many Americans feel Trump hasn’t prioritized pressing issues like inflation, which could impact future elections. The administration is focusing on the economy, promising to tackle rising costs.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening as he grapples with declining approval ratings, per recent polls. Despite this, he insists he has a “resounding” mandate from the electorate and is expected to use this key address to validate his actions thus far and outline his future plans.
One critical question to consider: How much longer can congressional Republicans continue to support him if his ratings stay low amidst his contentious decisions?
As of Monday, 538’s average polling indicates that 48.1% of Americans approve of Trump while 47.8% disapprove. It also reveals that 48.2% hold an unfavorable view of him, compared to 46.5% who view him favorably.
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A CNN poll released on Sunday shows that just over a month into his presidency, 52% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 48% approve.
This survey, conducted from February 24-28, occurred prior to a contentious discussion among Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that took place in the Oval Office on Friday. It also indicated that many believe Trump has not sufficiently addressed the nation’s pressing issues.
PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Vice President JD Vance reacts at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2025. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)
In a separate poll by the Washington Post/Ipsos, conducted last week, Trump’s approval rating stood at 45%, with 53% of Americans disapproving. Additionally, 57% of respondents indicated that they believe the president has overstepped his authority since taking office.
The poll also revealed that only 34% approve of Elon Musk’s actions regarding the dismissal of federal workers under the Department of Government Efficiency, with 49% expressing disapproval.
Dean Lacy, a Dartmouth College government professor, anticipates Trump’s approval may linger around these figures for some time.
“His approval is likely to stay in the 50% range for a while,” Lacy noted. “While the approval numbers may not show the full sentiment towards him, it seems like he has a solid 40-45% of the public that strongly supports him and another 40-45% that strongly oppose him. This dynamic may not change significantly, irrespective of his actions.”
Trump’s approval ratings coincide with growing dissent among GOP constituents frustrated by his influence on Musk’s workforce reductions at the federal level.
Lacy indicated that many Republicans are struggling to balance their support for Trump with the need to address the concerns of their constituents.
“The more significant and challenging issues are on the horizon, and these will determine voting behavior in the upcoming two years,” he remarked.
PHOTO: Rep. Kweisi Mfume holds a sign against DOGE alongside fellow House Democrats during a press conference against the House Republican’s budget bill at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 25, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Currently, Trump’s job approval of 45% ranks as the second lowest for presidents in the early weeks of their administration since the Truman era, as per Gallup data. (Truman’s initial weeks are noted as different due to his succession after President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s passing.) Trump recorded the lowest approval rating of 40% during February 2017.
PHOTO: Presidential approval ratings after first weeks in office (ABC News)
Trump currently holds the lowest favorability rating among recent presidents at this stage in their terms. His 44% favorability, per a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, is 15 percentage points lower than Biden’s in February 2021 and aligns with Trump’s own 46% approval in February 2017.
PHOTO: Presidential favorability ratings after first weeks in office (ABC News)
Nevertheless, the Trump administration is emphasizing his achievements, with a recent press release asserting that he “has already achieved more than most presidents do in an entire term as he fulfills his pledge to lead America into a New Golden Age.”
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However, a majority, 52%, feel that Trump has not focused enough on the nation’s most urgent issues, according to the CNN poll. Only 40% believe he is prioritizing correctly, while 8% are uncertain.
At the CPAC conference last month, Trump claimed he received a mandate from American voters following his victory in November and intends to deliver on his promises.
“The people have given us a strong mandate for significant changes in Washington, and we are committed to delivering, utilizing it to make America great again,” Trump expressed.
PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the East Room at the White House, Feb. 27, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Carl Court/Pool via Reuters)
The economy and cost of living, previously identified as critical issues for voters during the presidential campaign, continue to be top priorities for Trump’s administration, stated White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“I assure the American public that the president is intensely focused on resolving the cost-of-living crisis in this nation,” Leavitt affirmed during a recent briefing.
MORE: Americans supported Trump but oppose his agenda
Numerous Americans have expressed that Trump is concentrating on policies that are “not favored by many or deemed crucial,” such as inflation and economic issues, based on a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey. This poll indicated that 58% believe inflation will play a significant role in their voting decisions in forthcoming elections, yet only 32% approve of Trump’s handling of inflation.
Lacy noted that the economy remains a primary concern for many Americans, adding that Trump must address these issues as he has pledged to lower prices.
“He has some explaining to do. He began that process by saying, ‘we’re going through a period of pain’ while threatening to impose tariffs. However, this discomfort cannot last indefinitely; he must articulate what the future looks like and clarify his plans and the timeline for when Americans can expect price reductions and stock market recovery,” Lacy stated.
The Trump administration has recognized the economic challenges, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating on Sunday that they are “addressing” this issue.
“I believe President Trump has mentioned that he will take ownership of the economy within six to twelve months. But I’m here to tell you that we are diligently working to alleviate these prices daily,” Bessent told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “It took us four years to get to this point, and we have only had five weeks to fix it.”
Christine Filer of Langer Research Associates contributed to this report.
Trump to address nation amid sagging approval ratings originally appeared on abcnews.go.com