Far more Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's job performance than approve of it, as has been the case for most of Trump's second term. Democrats maintain an edge over Republicans in preference for the 2026 congressional elections.
What you need to know about Americans' views on Donald Trump and the 2026 congressional elections, as of the February 20 - 23, 2026 Economist / YouGov Poll:
- 39% of Americans strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's job performance, and 57% disapprove, a net job approval of -18
- That's in line with Trump's net job approval in Economist / YouGov polls over the past several months
- Two-thirds (66%) of Independents disapprove of Trump's job performance and only 25% approve, a net job approval of -41
- That's Trump's lowest net job approval among Independents in any Economist / YouGov poll from his first or second term
- Trump's net job approval among Republicans, +74, is down from +91 at the start of his second term, but still higher than the +71 at this point in his first term
- 45% of registered voters say they would vote for the Democratic Party candidate for Congress, and 41% would vote for the Republican Party candidate
- That 4-point margin for Democrats is down from +7 in last week's survey, but reflects a consistent Democratic edge on this question dating back to spring 2025
Image: Getty (Aaron Schwartz / Stringer)
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