President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 40% as he approaches 100 days into his second term, according to a new Pew Research Center survey conducted April 7–13, 2025. The decline—seven points since February—reflects growing public dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies on tariffs, federal cuts, and diversity initiatives.
Tariffs and budget cuts face backlash
The survey found that 59% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s tariff hikes on goods from major U.S. trading partners. Similarly, 55% oppose the administration’s cuts to federal departments and agencies. Critics cite concerns that the cuts are “too careless,” with many predicting worsened government performance and increased costs over time.
Among Democrats, disapproval is overwhelming: 90% oppose the tariffs and 89% disapprove of the cuts. While 70% of Republicans support the tariff increases, 22% express disapproval of the spending cuts—a notable divergence within the president’s party.
Executive actions and DEI rollback criticized
More than half (51%) of Americans believe Trump is relying too heavily on executive orders, continuing a trend that began early in his second term. Additionally, 53% disapprove of the administration’s move to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government. Approval among Republicans is high (78%), but 86% of Democrats oppose the action.
Economic confidence falters
Confidence in Trump’s handling of the economy has slipped to 45%, the lowest level in Pew’s tracking since 2019. Just 23% of Americans rate national economic conditions as good or excellent, and 45% believe things will get worse over the next year.
A majority of respondents (49%) say Trump’s policies have weakened the U.S. economy compared to the Biden administration, while just 37% say they’ve made it stronger.
Stark partisan divide remains
The report highlights deep partisan splits in views on nearly every issue. While 75% of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance, only 7% of Democrats agree. Similarly, Republicans express far greater trust in Trump’s statements and ethics than Democrats.
Despite the divisions, majorities in both parties agree that Trump should govern for all Americans, not just his base.
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