As President Donald Trump pushes ahead with an aggressive second-term agenda marked by sweeping immigration crackdowns, economic overhauls, and deep institutional cuts, new polling reveals that his job approval remains relatively steady if persistently low among the American public.<\/p>\n
According to a July survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 40% of U.S. adults approve of Trump\u2019s performance, reflecting little change from the 42% approval recorded in March. Analysts say this plateau signals both unwavering support from his political base and hardened opposition from critics, even amid controversial policy shifts.<\/p>\n
In San Diego, 76-year-old Eric Hildenbrand is one of the voters keeping faith in the Republican president he helped re-elect in 2024. Although he acknowledges the persistent rise in prices in California, Hildenbrand blames state-level Democratic leadership rather than Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t compare California with the rest of the country,\u201d he said. \u201cIt seems like prices are dropping. Things are getting better, but I don\u2019t necessarily see it here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such sentiments explain Trump\u2019s unique polling pattern. Unlike past presidents whose approval ratings dipped or rose with policy successes or failures, Trump\u2019s numbers have largely hovered between 33% and 43% over the last five years. This consistency defies traditional political dynamics and suggests that Trump\u2019s personality, rather than his policies, often drives public opinion.<\/p>\n
Still, there are signs of softening in some key areas. Support for Trump\u2019s handling of immigration once a cornerstone of his campaign is slipping. The same July AP-NORC poll found 43% approval on immigration, down from nearly 50% earlier in the year. A separate CNN\/SSRS poll revealed that 55% of Americans believe Trump has gone too far with his immigration deportation measures.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand wanting to get rid of illegal immigrants, but the way that\u2019s being done is very aggressive,\u201d said Donovan Baldwin, 18, of Asheboro, North Carolina.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s economic policies are receiving lukewarm reviews. Once credited with boosting the economy in his first term, the president is now facing growing skepticism. Most respondents in the AP-NORC poll said they have yet to see any direct benefits from Trump\u2019s tax and spending reforms.<\/p>\n
For supporters like Brian Nichols, 58, of Albuquerque, the trade-offs are acceptable\u2014for now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not in favor of everything, especially the social media stuff and the push to eliminate agencies,\u201d Nichols said. \u201cBut we put him into office for a reason, and we should be trusting that he\u2019s doing the job for the best of America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite moments of discord, Trump\u2019s base remains largely intact, sustained by a sense that he is delivering on promises, even at personal or political cost. Kim Schultz, 62, of Springhill, Florida, says she supports Trump\u2019s firm stance on immigration and sees tariffs as a necessary sacrifice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the tariffs are going to cost me a little bit more here and there, I don\u2019t have a problem with that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
With the Republican-controlled House and Senate providing a buffer against major legislative resistance, Trump has expanded his authority into sensitive areas from militarizing the U.S.-Mexico border to proposing the dissolution of federal institutions like the Department of Education.<\/p>\n
The future of his second term remains uncertain, particularly with challenges looming from economic pressures and civil resistance. Yet the enduring divide in public sentiment suggests that whether admired or opposed, Trump remains a defining force in American politics.<\/p>\n
As Hildenbrand puts it, \u201cI\u2019m not in favor of Trump\u2019s personality, but I am in favor of what he\u2019s getting done.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As President Donald Trump pushes ahead with an aggressive second-term agenda marked by sweeping immigration crackdowns, economic overhauls, and deep institutional cuts, new polling reveals that his job approval remains relatively steady if persistently low among the American public. According to a July survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 40%<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,36,239],"tags":[285,904,475,266,902,737,903],"class_list":{"0":"post-13489","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-politics","8":"category-research","9":"category-usa-canada","10":"tag-amnewsworld","11":"tag-ap-norc-poll","12":"tag-california","13":"tag-reporters","14":"tag-trump-second-term","15":"tag-us-economy","16":"tag-us-politics"},"yoast_head":"\n