# Trump Approval ratings fell below 40% and stayed under **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 18, 2026, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391 "2026-08-18T12:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/1 "2026-08-18T12:55:24Z")
The aggregate approval rating dropped to its lowest for him. Sad it took this much and this long, but the trend is downward. We’ll see how this effects election day. > **[President Trump Job Approval | RealClearPolling](https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating#screenshot_line_chart)** > > Political Leaders Favorability | Direction of Country | President Trump Job Approval | RealClearPolling As the link to the chart has failed to display the chart, a snapshot also: [![](https://i.postimg.cc/ZRt3mRSD/Trump-Approval-August-2026.png)](https://postimages.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/2 "2026-08-18T13:25:02Z")
You know they’re out there. [![](https://featureassets.gocomics.com/assets/cefd4bb07700013fc2e6005056a9545d?optimizer=image&width=1200&quality=85) ](https://featureassets.gocomics.com/assets/cefd4bb07700013fc2e6005056a9545d?optimizer=image&width=1200&quality=85) [This week’s reprint of _The City_](https://www.gocomics.com/thecity/2026/08/13) by [Derf Backderf.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derf_Backderf) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/3 "2026-08-18T13:56:36Z")
And yet, Republicans still didn’t push back on utterly unqualified, compromised Trump toady Todd Blanche. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/4 "2026-08-18T13:59:57Z")
If I saw this polling _before_ he was reelected, I would find the results encouraging. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/5 "2026-08-18T14:09:39Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > You know they’re out there. If that cartoon depicted a sparrow roasting on a curtain rod over the fire, it’d be perfect. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/6 "2026-08-18T14:12:19Z")
BTW: Reuters poll has his approval down to 33%. It appears the Iran War has hurt him the most among his former supporters. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/7 "2026-08-18T16:51:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > the Iran War has hurt him the most among his former supporters. But has it hurt enough that those former supporters will reverse their lifestyle and vote for a “libtard” candidate who wants socialism and trans restrooms? Low approval rating today for Trump looks hopeful. But will it boost the chances in 2028 of a Buttiegieg or an AOC taking the White House. Or will most of the people who answered the poll with “disapprove” still vote Republican? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/8 "2026-08-18T16:54:42Z")
I specifically mentioned this election day. The hope is the non-Kool Aid drinkers stay home in droves and some non-MAGA vote Dem. 2028 is far too far away. He had approval ratings like this first term and even with mishandling COVID, he didn’t lose to Biden the way he should have. The voters are fickle, we all know that. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/9 "2026-08-18T18:54:41Z")
I know this is a meme, but it bears repeating (the full version): **“Because some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Alfred Pennyworth** I don’t think approval rating is a good indicator of voting when it comes to Trump, and in many cases, downstream Republicans. After all, exactly as @What_Exit just said, his voters came out and voted despite the horrors of his first term, and he keeps improving. What I think is that well beyond the Kool-Aid drinkers, we have a much higher percentage of those who ONLY care about generating rage among those they consider enemies. Sure, they disagree with Trump, and the high prices, and their workers or family being deported, or white people being shot by ICE. But for whatever reason, they decide that all the “them” they hate (LGBQT+, “Liberals”, better educated, poorer, non-Christian, etc - take your pick) are very angry and hurt when Republicans are in in power. And that single fact is enough reason to keep voting (R) beyond all reason or even enlightened self interest. IE, it’s not just “some men” or women, but a _much_ higher percentage than any of us should be happy to admit. Note, this is very close to the reposted comic, or the sparrows on a rod, but wanted to point out how some of them (the poll numbers) realize how BAD things are going and that they ignore it because the hate is more important. A minor distinction, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/10 "2026-08-18T19:16:35Z")
Sarah K. Burris writes: > [@](#): > > [S]ince 1989 … Democratic presidents held office for about 20 years and Republicans for 17.4 years, **yet Democrats oversaw the creation of roughly 49.8 million jobs, compared with 1.9 million under Republicans. He said Democrats also performed better on median household income, GDP growth, stock-market performance, and deficit reduction.** > > Yet, Republicans retain their reputation as the party better equipped to manage the economy. Tomasky explained that there are three main reasons for this. First, the GOP’s association with corporate America and Wall Street encourages voters to equate business success with sound economic policy. Second, Republican-friendly media repeatedly amplify good economic news under GOP presidents while magnifying bad news under Democrats. Third, Democrats fail to make their own case clearly or consistently. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/11 "2026-08-18T19:46:52Z")
> [@Gordon\_G](#): > > > Third, Democrats fail to make their own case clearly or consistently. This one is really the killer. Democrats just cannot toot their own horn. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/12 "2026-08-18T22:55:32Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Sure, they disagree with Trump, and the high prices, and their workers or family being deported, or white people being shot by ICE. But for whatever reason, they decide that all the “them” they hate (LGBQT+, “Liberals”, better educated, poorer, non-Christian, etc - take your pick) are very angry and hurt when Republicans are in in power. I hope their sparrow is spoiled rotten. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/13 "2026-08-18T23:10:48Z")
Think of it this way. Suppose we had a Democratic president who messed up badly. Say he ended welfare as we know it, raped an intern, got impeached,… Would that cause me to vote Republican? Hell, no. The MAGAts are just the reverse. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/14 "2026-08-19T02:09:19Z")
Ehhh, if said Democrat was also fucking up international relations and stripping us of our rights, I’d certainly consider the Republican option to see if it was any better. ---
**Author:** ![JDYanYan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jdyanyan/32/21663_2.png) [@JDYanYan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDYanYan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/15 "2026-08-19T03:40:19Z")
Weirdly in most elections most Republicans will not easily weather a scandal. See Roy Moore, or Mark Robinson. A lot of MAGA candidates lost handily in a Republican friendly 2022 midterm, For the same reason Platner’s candidacy was DOA even before the (obvious, credible, and inevitable) rape allegations. Trump is one of the few guys who can get away with nearly infinite scandals. Because he’s cancer in the form of a person. But the bad news for Republicans is he’s a liability in every election he’s not on the ballot for, and he’s never going to be on another ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/16 "2026-08-19T10:08:32Z")
Trump continues because he validates the worst behaviors of his supporters. To reject him would be to admit they were (and continue to be) wrong. And the Republicans are literally destroying the foundations of the country to avoid any accountability for their actions or admissions that they have been so wrong for so long. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/17 "2026-08-19T13:38:13Z")
He is [underwater](https://www.economist.com/interactive/trump-approval-tracker) in all but three states: Idaho, Montana, and West Virginia. The map is interactive. Touch the blocks to get the numbers for each state. In DC he is **83%** underwater! ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/18 "2026-08-19T13:43:53Z")
Where do you click to get DC? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/19 "2026-08-19T14:08:00Z")
Scroll down to the section called “Net approval rating by state.” In the schematic map that represents each state by a square, DC is on the right, below MD. ETA: I just realized I was wrong in saying MT was one of the three. It’s WY. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391/20 "2026-08-19T14:37:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@Gordon\_G](#): > > > > > Third, Democrats fail to make their own case clearly or consistently. > > This one is really the killer. Democrats just cannot toot their own horn. I think that’s mostly a myth. Democrats _do_ campaign on what they’ve done and what they want to do. But the media gives bare attention, because it doesn’t generate headlines or clicks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-approval-ratings-fell-below-40-and-stayed-under/1032391.md?page=2)