Donald Trump’s approval rating has reversed course after weeks of decline, according to a new poll.
The latest Morning Consult survey shows Trump’s approval rising to 47 percent, up 2 points from the previous week, while his disapproval dropped to 50 percent, down 2 points. His net approval rating has improved from -7 points to -3 points.
The poll was conducted between July 25-27 among 2,202 registered voters and had a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Why It Matters
It comes as polls have shown Trump’s approval rating on a downward trajectory in recent weeks amid scrutiny over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case from Democrats and even his own supporters.
The renewed focus began on July 6, when the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI stated that Epstein had “no incriminating ‘client list'” and died by suicide—contradicting earlier claims by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who later walked back her remarks. Scrutiny grew after The Wall Street Journal reported that Bondi told Trump his name appeared in Epstein’s files, a claim both deny.
Since then, there have been calls from both sides of the aisle to release the Epstein files. Despite this, polls show Trump’s popularity has started to recover.
What To Know
Newsweek’s approval tracker also reflects a modest uptick, showing Trump’s net approval at -6 (45 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove), up from -7 at the end of last week and -10 earlier in the week.
But Morning Consult’s findings show that the Epstein case continues to dominate public attention. According to the poll, 75 percent of voters say they have recently seen or heard something about Epstein, including 42 percent who’ve heard “a lot.”
Though detailed developments—such as a DOJ meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, a House vote to subpoena Epstein-related files, and WSJ’s reporting about Bondi—are less widely recognized, with around 60 percent of voters reporting having heard about at least one of these angles.
Meanwhile, public sentiment around trade and the economy has modestly improved, according to Morning Consult’s poll. But Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline for foreign governments to reach trade deals with the U.S. could threaten that.
The potential impact is significant. If deals are not reached, tariffs on U.S. food imports are scheduled to rise for over 80 countries—affecting nearly 75 percent of all U.S. food imports and likely leading to higher prices for consumers, according to the Tax Foundation.
Julie Robbins, CEO of Earthquaker Devices, an Ohio-based manufacturer, told the BBC: “I view the tariffs and the current trade war policy as the largest threat to our business…People have sort of moved on, but now they’re going to be reinstated in August—it’s going to be right back where we were.”
But few voters appear focused on Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline for foreign governments to reach trade deals with the U.S. Only 23 percent say they’ve heard “a lot” about it, and just 21 percent think imposing tariffs should be a “top priority.”
Approval Ratings Show Signs of Stagnation
Despite modest gains, many polls show Trump’s approval rating remains stuck within a narrow range. McLaughlin & Associates, Quantus Insights, RMG Research, and Emerson College all show his approval holding steady between 46 and 52 percent in recent months, with little movement in net approval.
However, other surveys have shown Trump’s net approval dropping to its lowest point of his second term. Navigator Research puts Trump at 42 percent approval and 54 percent disapproval, while Gallup and The Bullfinch Group report even lower ratings, with net approval as low as -21.
