Trump approval falls to lowest level of either presidency in new Fox News poll

President Donald Trump’s job approval rating fell 3 percentage points this month to 39%, the lowest level recorded in Fox News polling across both of his presidencies, as voters expressed increasing concern about inflation, the economy, and the conflict with Iran. 

The survey, conducted May 15-18 among 1,002 registered voters, showed Trump receiving particularly poor marks on economic issues. Just 24% approved of his handling of inflation, while 71% disapproved — the lowest rating of his presidency on that issue. Approval of his handling of the economy stood at 29%, down from 34% in April.

More than three-quarters of voters, 77%, said the economy was in bad shape, while 58% identified the cost of living as their top economic concern. A slim majority, 51%, said their family finances were worse than two years ago.

The poll also found signs of slippage among some of Trump’s core supporters. Since April, approval declined among several key constituencies, including rural white voters (-6 points), white men without college degrees (-5), and Republicans (-3). Trump’s approval among Republicans stood at 80%, an all-time low in Fox News polling.

“Despite consistently strong GOP support, the president’s numbers are leaking a bit,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic pollster Chris Anderson. 

“Make no mistake; it’s all about affordability. Independents jumped ship in 2025, and now non-MAGA Republicans and other core constituencies are wavering.”

Border security, previously one of Trump’s strongest issues, was nearly evenly split at 49% approval and 51% disapproval. The results marked the first time during Trump’s current term that a majority of poll respondents disapproved of his handling of the issue. The survey found opposition to continued U.S. military involvement in Iran rising to 60%, even though two-thirds of respondents said they believed the U.S was winning the conflict. Only 38% approved of Trump’s performance in overall foreign policy. 

The poll also found mixed views on Trump’s handling of relations with China. While 45% approved of his handling of the recent U.S.-China summit, 52% of respondents said Chinese President Xi Jinping got more of what he wanted from the negotiations, compared with 46% who said Trump did. More than a quarter of Republicans, 27%, said Xi emerged ahead in the talks, along with majorities of Democrats and independents.

>> Trump, Xi discuss trade, Taiwan, and Iran in high-stakes Beijing summit << 

Fox News commissioned the poll from Beacon Research, a Democratic firm, and Shaw & Company Research, a Republican firm, which Fox said surveyed voters across the political spectrum. The survey’s margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.