President Donald Trump is facing what one prominent polling analyst has called the “most troublesome sign” for the president and the Republican Party.
When it comes to the economy and cost of living, Trump is now a “record low 41 points underwater” per Yahoo/YouGov, said CNN polling analyst Harry Enten.
“This is the most troublesome sign I’ve seen for Trump & the GOP…. He’s 60 pts underwater on the issue with indies!!” Enten wrote on X. “Wave adios to the House & maybe Senate cause you can’t win with these numbers.”
Why It Matters
Trump’s deteriorating approval ratings are significant not just because of how low they are, but because of where and how long they have remained negative.
Recent polling shows the president hitting all‑time lows on the economy and the cost of living, which are two issues that have historically anchored his political support. In the new Yahoo/YouGov survey, Trump’s net approval on the economy fell to minus 29.
According to Yahoo, it is the lowest economic approval rating that specific polling series has ever measured for Trump, below even the peak of the COVID‑19 pandemic in his first term.
What To Know
Enten’s warning comes as fresh polling shows Trump hitting all‑time lows on two issues central to his political brand: the economy and the cost of living.
The new Yahoo/YouGov survey found Trump’s net approval on the economy falling to minus 29, the weakest showing that polling series has ever recorded for him. On the cost of living, just 26 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling, while 67 percent disapproved, which was also a record low on that issue.
Overall job approval in that poll stood at 38 percent, with disapproval at 59 percent, underscoring how economic anxiety continues to weigh on the White House as inflation and gas prices remain top voter concerns.
Polling analysts say the persistence of these numbers is what makes them particularly troubling. Unlike short‑term dips driven by isolated events, Trump’s approval has remained negative across multiple polling firms and issue areas, including immigration, foreign policy and inflation.
According to Enten’s analysis of aggregated polling data, Trump has spent months with a net negative rating, a pattern that suggests structural weakness rather than temporary volatility.
Despite the deteriorating numbers, Trump has dismissed the importance of approval ratings, saying he does not care about polling and is focused instead on doing “the right thing.”
“I think that the polling is very good, but I don’t care about polling. I have to do the right thing. This should have been done a long time ago,” Trump told the New York Times regarding his approval ratings as it concerns the Iran War.
What People Are Saying
CNN polling analyst Harry Enten wrote on X: “This is the most troublesome sign I’ve seen for Trump & the GOP. Trump’s now a record low 41 pts underwater on the cost of living per Yahoo/YouGov. He’s 60 pts underwater on the issue with indies!! Wave adios to the House & maybe Senate cause you can’t win with these numbers.”
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “The President does not like bad press, and with the cost of living moving higher due to tariffs, and now self-induced US/Israel War, it is a forgone conclusion that it will get much worse before it gets better. Whomever is in the seat, much like Biden had to wear the supply chain and pandemic inflationary pressures, they will get the blame. The real issue is that much of this is by our own doing, not economic.”
What Happens Next
Politically, continuous low approval ratings could complicate the Republican Party’s strategy heading into the 2026 midterm elections. While Trump himself is not on the ballot, his standing with voters is likely to shape turnout, fundraising and candidate positioning in competitive congressional races, particularly in districts where economic dissatisfaction is already high.
“Trump is polling lower for Independents which is the reason he won the prior election, but for many Democrats it is not time to take a victory lap as Trump’s approval rating among his base remains high,” Thompson said.