President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have turned negative across all major policy areas, reflecting a notable change in public opinion since he assumed office, according to an analysis shared on CNN on Monday, September 8, 2025.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten reported that Trump’s net approval ratings on critical issues have dropped below zero, with crime at -2 points, immigration at -3, foreign policy at -12, the economy at -14, and trade at -17 points.
The economic figures represent a significant reversal from Trump’s first term, during which he held a five-point approval rating on economic matters in April 2017. Enten highlighted that the economy was a primary factor in Trump securing a second term, but he now faces substantial disapproval on this vital issue.
Trump’s trade approval rating experienced the steepest decline, which Enten attributed primarily to the administration’s tariff policies. On August 27, 2025, the president imposed a 50 percent tariff on India, following earlier tariffs of 25 percent on Mexico, 30 percent on China, and 35 percent on Canada.
The decline in polling coincided with disappointing employment data released on Friday, August 29, 2025, which indicated that only 22,000 jobs were added in August, compared to expectations of 77,000, while unemployment increased by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. CNN anchor John Berman described the job numbers as historically poor.
Trump’s overall approval rating has remained negative since March 12, 2025. The decline has been particularly pronounced among key demographic groups, with his approval among Hispanic voters dropping from a six-point negative margin to a 34-point negative margin, and among voters aged 18 to 29 decreasing from a two-point positive margin to a 30-point negative margin.
Independent voters have shown especially critical views of the president’s performance. Trump’s net approval rating among independents fell from negative three percent when he took office to negative 29 percent by July 2025. This marks the worst six-month performance by independents of any presidency, surpassing even Trump’s own first-term record of a 23 percent negative rating.
The president’s management of inflation has been particularly detrimental among independent voters, with his approval rating on the matter reaching a negative 45 percent. This figure is worse than former President Joe Biden’s negative 38 percent rating on inflation among the same demographic.
Trump’s notable legislative accomplishment, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” has been described by Enten as the most unpopular major legislation passed since 1990. Multiple polls conducted in August 2025 showed the bill with net favorability ratings ranging from -10 to -22 points across surveys by CNN, CBS, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and Pew Research.
The bill’s unpopularity surpassed that of the Affordable Care Act, which had a negative eight-point rating when it passed. Among independent voters, only 30 percent viewed the bill favorably, while 69 percent opposed it, creating a 39-point gap that analysts suggest could influence future elections.
Additional controversies have compounded Trump’s political difficulties. The administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files generated significant public interest, with Google searches for “Epstein” increasing 1,200 percent in July 2025 compared to the previous week. Only four percent of Republican-leaning respondents and three percent of Democrat-leaning respondents expressed satisfaction with the amount of information released about the case.
The polling trends have led analysts to anticipate significant losses for Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. Enten indicated that if current approval numbers persist through Election Day 2026, “there is no way on God’s green earth that Republicans can hold on to the House of Representatives.” Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, with 219 House seats compared to 213 for Democrats.
Political betting markets have reacted to these trends, with Democrats holding a 71 percent chance of reclaiming the House in 2026 according to current predictions. The shift in public opinion represents a dramatic change from February 2025, when Trump last held positive approval ratings.