President Donald Trump’s disapproval rating hit a new high in the January 2026 Strength in Numbers/Verasight survey. The publisher of the poll stated it marked the weakest result recorded for the president.
Per Newsweek, the survey showed that 40% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58% disapprove. This results in a net rating of -18. “This is a new low in our tracking,” G. Elliott Morris, publisher of Strength in Numbers, wrote in a Jan. 21 report on the poll.
Verasight conducted the poll with 1,532 U.S. adult residents from Jan. 14 to Jan. 20, 2026. It has a margin of sampling error of 2.3%, according to the methodology note in the Strength in Numbers report.
The main numbers reflect other recent public surveys of Trump’s standing. Reuters’ ongoing table of national approval polls shows several January surveys placing Trump at or near 40% approval, with disapproval in the high 50s. The AP-NORC Center also reported its January findings on views of Trump’s second term, including assessments of his priorities and policy choices, in polling released earlier this month.
Morris pointed out that independent voters significantly influenced the result. In the Strength in Numbers/Verasight poll, 27% of independents approved of Trump’s performance, while 63% disapproved, leading to a net of -36.
The poll also looked at Trump’s position on issues that have characterized his administration’s messaging. On immigration, 44% approved and 53% disapproved, while approval for deportations stood at 42% with 54% disapproving. Border security was the only issue where he received positive ratings, with 50% approval and 46% disapproval.
Beyond presidential approval, the poll provided insights for the 2026 midterm landscape. Among registered voters, Democrats led Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 51% to 43%, with 6% undecided, according to the Strength in Numbers report. Morris noted that voters ranked prices and inflation as their top concern, followed by health care and the economy. He reported that respondents preferred Democrats over Republicans regarding which party they trusted more to handle these issues.
The Strength in Numbers write-up stated that the survey was conducted the week after the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. The questionnaire was finalized before that shooting, which limited the survey’s ability to assess attitudes toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement specifically.
In the same release, Morris shared findings on other administration actions, including public attitudes toward U.S. military action in Venezuela. The survey showed majorities opposed the idea of the United States temporarily running the country.
The January results highlight how narrow Trump’s chance for recovery is as he goes further into his term. With disapproval nearing 60% and independents turning firmly against him, even small changes in turnout or public feeling could impact the political scene heading into the midterms. Pollsters warn that approval ratings can change quickly due to events, policy choices, and economic factors.
However, Morris pointed out that lasting weakness at this level usually limits a president’s influence with Congress. Whether the decline continues or levels off will probably hinge on how voters view the administration’s management of prices, immigration enforcement, and public safety in the coming months.
