President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has hit a new second-term low in a new poll, with the government shutdown weighing heavily on voters’ minds.
Trump's Approval Rating
With the government shutdown potentially ending soon, perceptions among voters on who was to blame and who was hurt the most by the length could be a topic that generates discussion now and in 2026 ahead of the midterm elections.
A new Morning Consult poll shows Trump's approval rating falling to 44%, down from 46% before the shutdown. Trump's disapproval rating rises to 54%, up from 52% before the shutdown.
The 44% approval rating marks a new low for Trump in his second presidential term, according to the polling company.
The poll found that 63% of voters said they had seen, read, or heard "a lot" about the government shutdown, making it the top story for several weeks. Other items that were top of mind for voters included flight cancellations and SNAP funding, both of which were also affected by the government shutdown.
Health care was also a key topic for voters in the poll, with 73% saying reducing health care costs should be a "top priority."
In the poll, Trump received poor marks on his handling of health care, the economy, Medicare, Social Security and the national debt, with his approval on each of these items hitting new record lows.
The health care and economy stood out in the poll, with voters saying they had heard more negative things about both issues now than at any other point in Trump's second term.
Voters Blame Republicans
Trump's falling approval rating was not the only poor result for the Republican Party in the Morning Consult poll.
The latest poll showed that 46% of voters believe the Republicans are at fault for the government shutdown, more than the 38% who blame the Democratic Party.
The favorability ratings reflect the perceived blame in the poll.
Congressional Democrats have a 45% approval and 47% disapproval rating, compared to 44% approval and 46% disapproval before the government shutdown.
Congressional Republicans have a 40% approval and 52% disapproval rating, compared to 41% approval and 49% disapproval before the government shutdown.
In the poll, voters favored the Democratic Party to win the 2026 midterms at a 48% to 43% margin. Before the government shutdown, voters favored the Democrats 45% to 41%.
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