A Brief History of President Donald Trump's Approval Ratings

By Chelsea Adelaine Hassler
Getty | Scott Olson
Getty | Scott Olson

"I love the polls," President Donald Trump eagerly quipped to Jimmy Fallon last year. And he wasn't lying; the president's go-to defense, regardless of the situation in hand, is to refer to handpicked — but often inaccurate or incomplete — numbers that have been placed in his head by random samplings of voters (or, sometimes, just people who click boxes on the internet).

While Trump may have been quick to talk about how favorable his rating was before he was elected president, since January, he has tumbled tremendously in the public eye. It's a differential that, to use the president's parlance, can only be defined as "yuge." Trump has yet to break the 50 percent approval rating in many of these contests, and has slumped to the high 30s and low 40s. Even his friends over at Fox News have noted the steady decline.

Here, we've reviewed nine of the biggest, most respected polls on the matter to provide a quick rundown of just how Americans have rated the president so far. We'll update these stats as they evolve — and when a new record high or low has been reached.

Gallup

Daily poll based on telephone interviews from a pool of approximately 1,500 national adults; margin of error of ±3 percentage points.

  • Approval range: 34-46 percent
  • Highest rating: Jan. 23-25, 2017
  • 46 percent approve
  • 47 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: Aug. 11-13, 2017
  • 34 percent approve
  • 61 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 40 percent

Rasmussen Reports

Daily poll based on telephone survey from a pool of approximately 500 likely voters from a diverse panel.

  • Approval range: 38-59 percent
  • Highest rating: Jan. 26, 2017
  • 59 percent approve
  • 41 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: Aug. 2, 2017
  • 38 percent approve
  • 62 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 47 percent

Reuters/Ipsos

Daily poll based on internet survey from a pool size varying but in the thousands; reported margin of error.

  • Approval range: 36-48 percent
  • Highest rating: Feb. 3-7, 2017
  • 48 percent approve
  • 47 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: July 22-26, 2017
  • 36 percent approve
  • 59 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 44.3 percent

Public Policy Polling

Poll based on landline calls and opt-in online panels from a pool of registered voters; reported margin of error.

  • Approval range: 40-47 percent
  • Highest rating: Jan. 30-31, 2017
  • 47 percent approve
  • 49 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: May 12-14, 2017
  • 40 percent approve
  • 54 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 42 percent

Quinnipiac

Poll based on landline and cell phone calls from a pool of registered voters; reported margin of error.

  • Approval range: 33-42 percent
  • Highest rating: Feb. 2-6, 2017
  • 42 percent approve
  • 51 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: July 27-Aug. 1, 2017
  • 33 percent approve
  • 61 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 40 percent

Fox News

Poll based on landline and cell phone calls from a pool of registered voters; reported margin of error

  • Approval range: 40-48 percent
  • Highest rating: Feb. 11-13, 2017
  • 48 percent approve
  • 47 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: May 20-23, 2017
  • 40 percent approve
  • 53 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 44 percent

Economist/YouGov

Daily poll based on internet survey from a pool of roughly 2,500; reported margin of error.

  • Approval range: 39-48 percent
  • Highest rating: Feb. 18-22, 2017
  • 48 percent approve
  • 48 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: July 31-Aug. 1, 2017
  • 39 percent approve
  • 56 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 43 percent

Morning Consult

Poll based on internet surveys from a pool of registered voters; reported margin of error.

  • Approval range: 40-52 percent
  • Highest rating: March 9-13, 2017
  • 52 percent approve
  • 43 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: Aug. 3-6, 2017
  • 40 percent approve
  • 55 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 46 percent

SurveyMonkey

Raw internet polling conducted on its website.

  • Approval range: 41-49 percent
  • Highest rating:
  • 49 percent approve
  • 50 percent disapprove
  • Lowest rating: July 28-Aug. 3, 2017
  • 41 percent approve
  • 58 percent disapprove
  • Average approval rating: 45 percent