Trump’s approval rating drops 5% to new second-term low after government shutdown ends

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped sharply across nearly every major national poll, hitting a new second-term low as the political fallout from the prolonged government shutdown continues to erode public support. 

The steep decline came in the latest Gallup survey, where Trump slid five points to 36% his lowest score of the term, with 60% disapproving. 

Late November shows sudden decline

Gallup's survey this month makes a notable break from three months of stability, when Trump hovered between 40% and 41% from August through October. His new rating sits just two points above his all-time low of 34% recorded in 2021.

The poll period also overlaps with the end of the recent government shutdown that cost an estimated $11 billion in GDP, paused federal food assistance for millions and furloughed more than 900,000 federal workers. 

His approval rating dropped to a second-term low of 38% in a Reuters/Ipsos survey released on November 18, which also indicated that only 20% of respondents supported his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, signalling a notably weak point in that area of public evaluation.

The morning consult's November 10 poll recorded another downturn, with his approval slipping to 44%. That same 44% second-term low was echoed in a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll conducted between November 4 to 6.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted shortly after Republicans suffered losses in key races across New Jersey, Virginia and New York City on November 4 showed that Democratic voters expressed far higher motivation heading into next year's midterm. According to the findings, 44% of Democrats are "very enthusiastic" about voting compared to just 26% of Republicans who said the same. 

How did the shutdown fallout impact public approval?

The government shutdown, which began on October 1 after Congress failed to pass a federal funding bill, has had widespread political repercussions.

The shutdown occurred as Democrats pushed for extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are about to expire for roughly 21 million Americans, who would otherwise face higher insurance premiums without congressional support. 

The shutdown forced about 900,000 federal workers into furlough and left another 700,000 on the job without pay for weeks. It also caused major staffing shortages at airports nationwide and halted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which supports around 41 million Americans. 

Although the Trump administration has accused the Democrats of the shutdown, a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll showed that 53% of respondents held Republicans more responsible than Democrats. 

Similarly, an October Economist/YouGov survey shows 1,621 adults found that 39% blamed Republicans for the shutdown, compared to 31% who blamed Democrats.