Iowa, Ohio latest states to flip negative on Trump approval ratings
President Donald Trump was in Pennsylvania on Dec. 9 talking up his record on affordability , as other eyes were on Florida for the Miami mayoral race .
Republicans have been up against warning signs of a blue wave in the 2026 midterm elections , after Democrats overperformed in several elections this year. Trump is also facing complaints he hasn't been doing enough on the economy, and he defended his record in the Poconos on Tuesday night, the first of a series of rallies he is expected to do ahead of the midterm.
But in Miami, the candidate he backed for mayor lost to the first Democrat to win the office in nearly 30 years. So how are voters feeling about Trump's job performance? Here is what to know about his approval ratings in key states.
More: Trump slams 'stupid people,' defends economic record in Pennsylvania rally
Trump's approval rating flips negative in 2 Republican-leaning states
Trump has a net positive approval rating in 22 states, according to Morning Consult , which gathers polls over the course of three months to get a look at state-level data among registered voters. The Dec. 5 update has two fewer above-water states compared to the previous month's update.
Ohio and Iowa, which were considered Republican strongholds in the 2024 election , were the two states where Trump lost his standing with voters, according to Morning Consult. The pollster also found Trump's disapproval grew to second-term highs in these 2024 swing states: Arizona (51%), Georgia (50%), Michigan and North Carolina (52% each) and Wisconsin (54%). His approval rating is negative in all the swing states.
In Pennsylvania, 47% approve of Trump's job performance and 50% disapprove. In Florida, 50% approve of Trump's job performance, compared to 46% who disapprove.
What is Trump's average approval rating?
Averages based on RealClearPolitics and New York Times aggregators show Trump's approval rating is net negative, but improving after a sharp drop last month.
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 of 42.3% on Nov. 14, as the controversy on Jeffrey Epstein's emails heated up following the end of the government shutdown. The following week, his disapproval also ticked up to a term high of 55.6% on Nov. 21. As of Dec. 9, RealClearPolitics found 43.9% approve and 52.8% disapprove.
The New York Times aggregator showed Trump's approval fell from 52% approval in January to 44% approval in April, and then mostly held steady for months. According to the Times, Trump's term low is 41% approval, which he first reached on Nov. 12. His disapproval also notched up to 56% on Nov. 19, a high for this term per the aggregator. As of Dec. 10, 43% approve and 54% disapprove, per the New York Times.
How does President Donald Trump 's approval rating compare to past presidents?
In a Gallup poll conducted from Nov. 3-25, 36% approved of Trump's job performance.
A historical analysis by Gallup shows Trump's approval ratings in November 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 November approval compares to other presidents in November of their first year of their terms, according to Gallup:
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Joe Biden (November 2021) - 42% approve
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Trump (November 2017) - 37% approve
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Barack Obama (November 2009) - 51% approve
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George W. Bush (November 2001) - 87% approve
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Bill Clinton (November 1993) - 49% approve
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George H.W. Bush (November 1989) - 70% approve
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Ronald Reagan (November 1981) - 52% approve
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) , Bluesky and TikTok
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Donald Trump's approval rating? See state comparisons.
