President Donald Trump has received a fresh approval rating just over a year into his second term, with new polling revealing how voters feel about his leadership and policy priorities.
A Fox News poll asked voters to assess Trump’s presidency so far, including how he is handling key issues such as immigration, foreign policy, the economy, and tariffs. The results suggest the country remains divided over his performance.
While Trump’s disapproval ratings in the same poll have ranged between 51 percent and 58 percent since March 2025, the latest results show that 57 percent of voters do not approve of the job he is doing. The survey also found that almost two-thirds of respondents believe he is focusing on the wrong issues.
Poll reveals how voters rate Trump’s presidency
The poll showed a strong political divide. Among Democrats surveyed, 97 percent said they disapproved of Trump’s performance. Republican voters, however, gave him an approval rating of 87 percent.
Views were also mixed on immigration enforcement. Around 60 percent of voters said they disapproved of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while 42 percent said they approved of the agency’s activities.
When respondents were asked to name the most important issue facing the country, the cost of living topped the list with 50 percent identifying it as their biggest concern. Government spending followed at 18 percent, while 10 percent listed jobs as the key issue.
Nine percent pointed to income equality and eight percent named tariffs as the most crucial issue. Around four percent of voters also said taxes were a major concern.
Trump performed better in one specific area. On border security, 52 percent of respondents said they approved of his handling of the issue, while 48 percent said they disapproved.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle addressed the results, saying: “According to the RealClearPolitics average, President Trump is enjoying a higher approval rating than former presidents Obama and Bush at this point in their second term, with much more hostile media coverage.”
According to that comparison, former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush had approval ratings of 42.5 percent and 38.7 percent, respectively, at a similar stage in their second terms, compared with Trump’s 43.3 percent.
Trump also celebrated polling results on social media last month, writing: “The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received,” before adding: “Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!”
Separate poll shows mixed reaction to Iran strikes
The Fox News poll surveyed 1,004 registered voters between February 28 and March 2. The survey took place shortly before the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Another poll has since asked Americans about Trump’s decision to launch those attacks. The Ipsos/Reuters survey found that only 27 percent supported the president’s strikes on Iran, while 43 percent disapproved of his use of military force. A further 29 percent said they did not know.
Public opinion again split along party lines. Around three-quarters of Democrats said they disapproved of the attacks, while 55 percent of Republicans said they approved.
The conflict began after US and Israeli missiles struck targets in Iran in what was initially described as a ‘preemptive strike’. The attacks were reported to have killed Iran’s religious leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, along with up to 40 other high-ranking officials.
President Trump later confirmed that three US service personnel died and five others were injured on the first day of the conflict.
The strikes have raised legal questions as well. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, who previously served as chief international lawyer for US CENT COM, told the Intercept: “Not only does this violate international law in numerous respects, it clearly violates the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.”
The Ipsos/Reuters poll also suggested growing concern about the number of military actions taken during Trump’s second term, which has included strikes in Syria, Nigeria, and Venezuela.
More than half of respondents, 56 percent, said they believe the president has been too quick to use military force. That view was held by 87 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Republicans.
However, the survey also revealed a potential warning sign for the administration. Among Republican supporters, 42 percent said they might withdraw support for the president’s approach if it leads to ‘US troops in the Middle East being killed or injured’.
Congress could face a difficult decision
Congress has returned to begin discussions that could lead to a vote on the president’s war powers.
Under the US Constitution, Congress is responsible for declaring war. Lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override a presidential veto on any legislation that attempts to limit the president’s authority during the conflict.
That scenario is considered unlikely, especially given Republican control of both chambers.
For now, polling suggests that while Trump’s core supporters remain firmly behind him, public opinion remains sharply divided on both his presidency and his approach to foreign conflicts.
