President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has dropped to new lows in four national polls conducted from early January through early February. Each survey shows him significantly underwater, marking the weakest ratings of his current term, according to CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten.
Enten noted that the combined results put Trump between 19 and 26 points underwater, which he described as unusually low for this stage in a second term. He said, “The bottom line is this, Donald Trump is setting new records for himself in term number two. He is performing worse compared to where he was at this point in term number one,” during an on-air segment summarized by Newsweek.
The four surveys Enten mentioned were conducted by AP-NORC, NBC News Decision Desk powered by SurveyMonkey, Quinnipiac University, and Yahoo News/YouGov. In the AP-NORC poll conducted from February 5 to February 8, Trump had a net approval of minus 26, which matched a record low for that series. The survey included 1,156 adults nationwide and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Enten also highlighted a poll by NBC News Decision Desk powered by SurveyMonkey. This online poll took place from January 27 to February 6 and showed Trump at minus 22 net approval, based on responses from 21,995 adults across the country, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 points.
Some talk about Trump’s floor of support… I’m not sure he has a floor!
His net approval is at a term 2 low across a number of pollsters.
Trump’s now in worse shape than he was at this point in term 1 or where Biden was at this point in his one term.
He’s way underwater. pic.twitter.com/djVTFzztSq
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) February 16, 2026
A Quinnipiac University national poll of registered voters, conducted from January 29 to February 2, indicated that Trump had 37% approval and 56% disapproval, resulting in a net negative of 19 points, as reported by Newsweek. The poll surveyed 1,191 registered voters through live interviews on landlines and cellphones and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 points. Newsweek mentioned this net rating worsened since October and mid-January when Quinnipiac had Trump at minus 14.
Enten’s fourth reference was a Yahoo News/YouGov survey conducted from January 8 to January 12. This survey interviewed 1,709 U.S. adults and placed Trump at minus 20 net approval, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 points, according to Newsweek.
The White House defended Trump’s standing by pointing to his 2024 election victory and his early record in office. White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement that “the ultimate poll was November 5, 2024,” when voters “overwhelmingly elected President Trump to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.” Ingle also mentioned that Trump had “already made historic progress not only in America but around the world.”
Trump has publicly challenged negative polling in recent weeks. Newsweek reported that he posted on Truth Social this month claiming he had “the highest Poll Numbers I have ever received,” asserting that “people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!”
Enten remarked that the trend line is essential because it compares Trump’s current performance to his first term at the same point, and because multiple major pollsters noted second-term lows over a short time. Newsweek quoted Enten saying, “Where is the floor for Donald Trump? I’m not sure there is a floor because if there is one, Donald Trump, at least in term number two, has just fallen through it to another low level.”
If Trump’s approval remains near these levels, Republican strategists may feel pressure to focus midterm campaigns on local issues rather than national branding, especially in competitive districts. Analysts will closely watch upcoming surveys for any signs of movement among independents, a voting group that often decides close races; however, it is not looking good for the GOP and Trump.
