Trump Approval Holds at 32%, Near Career Low After Midterm Losses
Donald Trump's approval rating held at 32% in a new national poll, one point above his career low, as voters punish him over rising prices after the midterms.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / The White House
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 — President Donald Trump’s approval rating held at 32 percent in a national Ipsos poll completed on Monday, one percentage point above the career low he recorded in mid-October, as voters kept punishing him over the rising cost of living a week after his party’s midterm defeat.
Conducted online from November 6 to 9 among 1,705 adults across the United States, the survey found his standing unchanged for a third consecutive national poll. Its margin of error is about two percentage points.
Key Takeaways
- 32 percent approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance, unchanged in three straight national Ipsos surveys and one point above his mid-October career low of 31 percent.
- Only 21 percent approve of his handling of the cost of living and 25 percent of his management of the economy, while 38 percent approve of his immigration policy.
- 75 percent of midterm voters told exit pollsters the economy was either poor or not so good.
- National polling averages put Trump’s approval at 37 to 39 percent, against disapproval of about 59 to 60 percent.
The cost-of-living problem
Prices are at the centre of the president’s problem. Just 21 percent of Americans gave him a positive mark on the cost of living, the weakest of any issue tested, and only 25 percent approved of his handling of the economy. The war he launched against Iran in February has pushed fuel prices sharply higher and weighed on household finances.
His immigration policy remains his strongest card, with 38 percent approval. Among Republicans, 81 percent backed his approach to immigration, against 50 percent who approved of his handling of the cost of living. He has stepped up deportations since returning to the White House in January 2025, and last week he promoted Stephen Miller, a chief architect of those policies, to chief of staff.
A midterm verdict
The poll is the first national survey completed since the November 3 midterms, in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress. Democrats recorded their biggest House victory since at least 2008 and flipped Senate seats in Kansas, South Carolina and Texas, with races in Alaska and Mississippi still undecided.
The exit poll conducted on election day found that 75 percent of midterm voters described the economy as poor or not so good. In an interview broadcast on November 8, Trump acknowledged that his approach to deportations may have been too tough. He has since questioned the midterm results in social media posts.
What the averages say
The Ipsos result sits below other national measures, but the direction is the same everywhere.
| Poll or average | Approval | Disapproval | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipsos national poll | 32% | Not reported | Nov. 6–9 |
| Economist/YouGov poll | 36% | Not reported | Released Nov. 7 |
| RealClearPolitics average | 38.9% | 59.2% | Nov. 9 |
| New York Times average | 37% | 60% | Nov. 9 |
| Silver Bulletin average | 37.8% | 59.1% | Nov. 9 |
What comes next
Trump has shown little sign of changing course. In the same television interview he said he was open to guardrails on artificial intelligence, but not at the cost of the American lead over China. The Senate has passed a funding bill to end the record 41-day government shutdown, and the House is expected to vote on it next. The new Congress, with Democratic majorities in both chambers, convenes on January 3, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Donald Trump’s approval rating in the latest poll?
Thirty-two percent of Americans approve of his performance, according to the national Ipsos survey completed on November 9, unchanged from the two previous surveys and one point above the 31 percent career low of mid-October.
Why is his approval rating so low?
Voters give him his worst marks on the cost of living (21 percent approve) and the economy (25 percent). Fuel prices have risen sharply since the war against Iran began in February, and three in four midterm voters said the economy was poor or not so good.
How does this poll compare with other surveys?
Other measures are higher but point the same way: a survey released on November 7 put his approval at 36 percent, and Monday’s national averages put it between 37 and 39 percent, with disapproval at about 59 to 60 percent.
What happens next?
The new Congress convenes on January 3, 2027, with Democrats holding majorities in both chambers. The next national surveys will show whether his standing recovers once it is seated.
