Trump Presidential Approval Worst in 80 Years

Trump Presidential Approval Worst in 80 Years

As of April 2025, President Donald Trump holds the lowest 100-day approval rating of any U.S. president in the past 80 years. A recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll reports his approval at just 39%, down from 45% in February. This surpasses his own previous low of 42% during his first term in 2017, which was the lowest recorded at that time since World War II .

Prior to Trump, no president since the advent of modern polling had a lower 100-day approval rating. For context, President Joe Biden’s approval stood at 57% at the 100-day mark in 2021, while Barack Obama enjoyed 63% in 2009 . 

Trump’s historically low approval ratings are attributed to widespread public dissatisfaction with his policies, including recent tariff implementations and concerns over economic instability. Despite strong support among Republicans, his approval among independents and younger demographics has significantly declined.

When they say “Trump has the lowest first-term polling in 80 years,” it means you have to go back about 80 years — around 1945— to find anyone close to as low.

The president back then (in 1945) was Harry S. Truman, who became president when FDR died in April 1945.

At the start of his presidency, Truman was actually quite popular because of the end of WWII.

However, by 1946-1947, Truman’s popularity plummeted — especially because of postwar inflation, labor strikes, and economic uncertainty.

In fact:

• In 1946, Truman’s approval rating dropped as low as 32% according to Gallup.
• That is lower than Trump’s current 39%, but Truman’s collapse happened later, not right at the start of his presidency.

At the 100-day mark, Truman was still relatively popular.
So technically: no president at the 100-day mark in the past 80 years was lower than Trump.

Summary:

• Trump now has the lowest 100-day first-term approval in 80 years.
• Truman (80 years ago) eventually fell lower (into the 30s), but not at the beginning.
• No one at the 100-day mark had a lower number until now.