President Donald Trump has been on a multi-day trip in Asia the week of Oct. 27, as the government shutdown in the U.S. stretches to four weeks.
Trump has told reporters while jetting between Malaysia, Japan and South Korea that his poll numbers were high as he toyed with the idea of pursuing a third term. Though on Oct. 29, he admitted that the Constitution limits him to two terms.
But polls consistently tell a different story: His approval rating is historically low and steady, despite a tumultuous first nine months. Here is what Americans think of Trump’s job performance, the “No Kings” protests and the government shutdown.
More: Can Donald Trump have a third term? No, but his comments keep hinting at it
Economist/YouGov: Approval of ‘No Kings’ protest grew since June
In an Economist/YouGov poll of 1,623 U.S. adult citizens conducted Oct. 24-27, Trump’s approval rating slipped to 39%. It also found 58% disapprove, giving a net approval of -19 points, the lowest of his second term, according to the pollster. However, it is only two points worse than the previous week’s poll. The poll’s margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.
The poll also asked about the “No Kings” protest on Oct. 18. It was the second version of the nationwide protest, with the first falling on Trump’s 79th birthday on June 14. Most respondents (87%) had heard of the protests, but only 8% said they participated.
But Americans warmed on their approval of the protest, according to the Economist/YouGov poll. Forty-nine percent said they approve, compared to 33% who disapprove; that margin grew 12 points since the protest in June, according to the pollster.
Reuters/Ipsos: 50% frustrated with shutdown, 20% angry
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Oct. 28, the president had a 40% approval rating, compared to last week’s 42%. Though the three-day poll measures a 2-point drop since the previous survey, the difference is within the margin of error, maintaining the president’s steady ratings.
Positive opinions of his job performance have not strayed beyond a percentage point or two from its current 40% for more than five months, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. However, disapproval has grown over the same period of time, rising from 52% in a May 16-18 poll, to 57% in the latest Oct. 24-26 survey.
The poll, which was conducted online, surveyed 1,018 U.S. adults nationwide and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
The poll also asked respondents about their opinions on the government shutdown, which is now the second-longest in American history. The survey found 50% of Americans were frustrated with the shutdown and another 20% were angry. Some 29% said they either didn’t care or were glad about the shutdown, according to Reuters.
What is Trump’s average approval rating overall?
Averages based on RealClearPolitics and New York Times aggregators show Trump’s approval rating is net negative but relatively stable over the last few months.
As of Jan. 27, 50.5% approved, giving Trump a net positive rating until March 13, when it flipped to net negative with 47.8% approval, compared to 48.5% disapproval, RealClearPolitics graphics show. The approval rating reached a low on April 29 at 45.1% approval, which fell around Trump’s 100-day mark. It reached a new low on Sept. 30, the day before the government shutdown started, at 44.8% approving.
The New York Times aggregator showed Trump’s approval fell from 52% approval in January to 44% approval in April, and has mostly held steady since. According to the Times, Trump’s term low is 43% approval, which he first reached on Aug. 21, about 10 days into Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C.
As of Oct. 29, Trump’s average approval is 45.1%, according to RealClearPolitics, and 43% on average, according to the New York Times.
Trump’s approval rating is low compared to other presidents
In a Gallup poll conducted from Oct 1-16, 41% approved of Trump’s job performance, up slightly from the previous month.
A historical analysis by Gallup shows Trump’s approval ratings in October of his first years in office − both as the 45th and 47th presidents − are lower than any other modern president at the same time in their administrations. Here is how his October approval compares to other presidents in October of their first year of their term, according to Gallup:
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Trump (October 2017) – 37% approve
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Barack Obama (October 2009) – 53% approve
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George W. Bush (October 2001) – 88% approve
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Bill Clinton (October 1993) – 48% approve
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George H.W. Bush (October 1989) – 68% approve
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Ronald Reagan (October 1981) – 55% approve
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.
Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Trump’s approval rating? See polls on ‘No Kings’ and shutdown
