Donald Trump’s second-term approval rating starts at 47%, just slightly above the 45% he began with in 2017. That still places him below every other elected president since 1953. He remains the only modern president to start both terms with approval ratings under 50%, and his 48% disapproval rating is now three points higher than in 2017—a new record for inaugural polling.
How Trump Stacks Up Against Other Presidents
Gallup’s latest poll (Jan. 21-27) shows Trump’s approval isn’t far off from the 51% that Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush received early in their presidencies. However, more Americans disapprove of Trump’s job performance compared to those who were undecided about Bush and Reagan at the time.
Among past presidents, John F. Kennedy had the highest inaugural approval rating at 72%, followed by Dwight Eisenhower and Barack Obama at 68%. Jimmy Carter started at 66%, while Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and George W. Bush saw ratings between 57% and 59%.
Despite his relatively weak showing, Trump’s latest rating is one of the best he’s received as president. His highest approval rating in his first term was 49%, which he hit multiple times in 2020. Still, he never reached 50% approval—a distinction no other modern president shares. When he left office in January 2021, his approval had plunged to just 34% after the January 6 Capitol riot.
Other polls show a higher approval rating. The latest Rasmussen poll reports 52% support for the new president, while RealClearPolitics’ polling average shows a 49.4% approval rating.
Sharp Party Divide in Trump’s Approval
As in his first term, Trump’s approval remains highly polarized. Among Republicans, 91% back him, while only 6% of Democrats approve. Independents are split, with 46% approving. This 85-point gap between Republicans and Democrats mirrors the 81-point average divide from his first term and is close to the 87-point gap Joe Biden faced in early 2021.
During Trump’s first inauguration, the partisan gap was 76 points (90% of Republicans vs. 14% of Democrats). By contrast, previous presidents saw much narrower partisan splits in their early approval ratings, ranging from 24 to 56 points.
Americans Divided on Trump’s Speed in Handling Issues
Trump kicked off his second term by signing an unprecedented number of executive orders covering immigration, defense, foreign policy, and government spending. The poll was conducted before Trump attempted to freeze trillions in federal financial aid—an action later blocked by a judge and ultimately rescinded.
When asked about Trump’s pace in tackling major U.S. problems, Americans were split:
- 40% say he’s moving at the right speed
- 37% believe he’s acting too fast
- 14% think he’s not moving fast enough
Among Republicans, 83% believe Trump’s pace is appropriate, while 61% of Democrats say he’s rushing. Independents fall somewhere in between.
In 2017, more Americans (47%) felt Trump was moving too fast. However, Republicans are now seven points more likely to say his actions are well-paced. Democrats, meanwhile, are now less likely to say he’s moving too fast (-12 points) and more likely to say he isn’t acting quickly enough (+11 points).
Gallup has only asked this question for one other president—Obama in 2009. At that time, 63% of Americans felt his pace was just right, while 22% thought he was acting too fast and 10% said he was too slow.
What’s Next for Trump’s Approval?
Most presidents enjoy a “honeymoon period” with strong approval early on, only for it to fade. Trump never had that luxury in 2017—his initial 45% rating was barely above his first-term average of 41%. Since Eisenhower, all elected presidents except Trump have averaged an initial approval of 61%.
Now, history seems to be repeating itself. Trump starts his second term with Americans deeply divided. More people have strong opinions about his job performance, but his 47% approval is still the lowest of any modern president—aside from his own 2017 debut.
Republicans overwhelmingly back Trump’s leadership and see his policy pace as appropriate. His support among Republicans and independents has risen slightly compared to 2017, while Democratic support has dipped even lower.
Presidential honeymoons are often judged in hindsight—if Trump’s numbers fall in the coming months, his current rating may look like a high point. Whether his approval can rise, or remains locked in partisan gridlock, will define the start of his second term.
