Charting how Trump became a historically unpopular president
- Posted on May 5, 2026
- By CNN
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- 1 min read
Charting how Trump became a historically unpopular president
President Donald Trump appears to be more unpopular than he’s ever been. In fact, his 35% average approval rating in the CNN Poll of Polls means he’s now flirting with George W. Bush territory. Bush is the only president since Jimmy Carter to spend a sustained period of time in the mid-30s or lower. And all of it is putting the Republican Party at risk of a severe rebuke from voters in just six months’ time in the 2026 midterm elections. It’s been a pretty gradual, steady deterioration throughout Trump’s more than 15 months back as president, but a few things stand out.