Trump’s Disapproval Ratings

by Jay R. Mandle

It has taken only a month, but Donald Trump’s MAGA-fueled attempt to impose authoritarian rule has already run into a formidable roadblock – public opinion. 

Evidence is provided by three separate polls issued recently, covering the period between Trump’s inauguration and mid-to-late February. Each poll reports that during that brief period there was an increase in the percentage of respondents who expressed their disapproval of Trump.

These results are statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level for both Project 538 and Reuters/Ispos polls, only barely below that threshold for Gallup. Together, they point to the fact that a substantial tide of disillusionment with MAGA politics is underway.

What is important is that all three polls are in agreement that American’s s disapproval of Trump has substantially increased, and has done so in a relatively brief period of time. 

Project 538 

	Percent Disapprove Trump
January 24	41.5
February 23	47.0
Change	+6.5

Gallup 

	Percent Disapprove Trump
January 21-27	48
February 13-16	51
Change	+3

Reuters/Ipsos 

	Percent Disapprove Trump
January 24-26	41
February 13-18	51
Change	+10

Polls reflect popular political sentiment. But they do not necessarily reflect popular political influence. It is in the voting booth that the views expressed in polls can actually shape the direction of the country..

And so it is with the polling data concerning Donald Trump. After a month in office, there has been an important increase in the popular rejection of  the malevolence that he and his cohorts represent. But the results of polls alone will not bring MAGA politics to its knees. Trump and his cronies will cling to power tenaciously, and will cede control only after confronting a politically engaged population that votes to banish MAGA adherents from office-holding. 

The political cleansing that this country needs will require sustained efforts over several election cycles. The time to start that process is now – by preparing to use the 2026 election as a first act of purging Congress of Trump acolytes. Impairing Trump by denying him Congressional obedience will demonstrate to the country that tyranny is not necessarily our destiny. It will also likely mean that whoever takes up the MAGA cause in the 2128 presidential election will be facing an aroused population  willing to defend itself from oppression.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR                                                                                     
Jay Mandle is the Emerita W. Bradford Wiley Professor of Economics, Emeritus,at Colgate University. His many books include Change Elections to Change America: Democracy Matters Students In Action, and Creating Political Equality: Elections As a Public Good,. Mandle’s regular monthly editorials, Money On My Mind, appear on the Democracy Matters website where they explore the role of private money in politics and other critical social issues.
The views expressed in Money On My Mind are those of the author, (not necessarily those of Democracy Matters, and are meant to stimulate discussion.