A couple new polls show that President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are dropping as low as they ever have for him. But more striking still are signs that his hardcore base is dissipating — which could affect turnout in the midterm elections and render the MAGA brand less potent over time.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll of adults conducted between August 14-17 found that 33% approved of Trump’s performance and 64% disapproved. As Reuters noted in its write-up of the poll, “Trump’s approval rating, down from 35% in a poll that closed earlier this month and lower than at any point in his current term, has now tied the lowest level of his prior term reached in December 2017.”
It appears that Trump’s disaster in Iran has helped erase the huge advantage he inherited on public perception of managing the economy after inflation hurt Democrats under Joe Biden’s presidency.
And there are signs that the accumulated discontent is not just hurting Trump with Americans overall but his most loyal supporters.
Republicans say in-person town halls are outdated, unsafe and ineffective. Democrats say that is precisely the point: Lawmakers should not be able to avoid angry constituents because it might be uncomfortable. Read more.
Pro-MAGA accounts online are berating Republican senators for keeping the Senate in session, blocking Trump from potentially making recess appointments. Read more.
Republicans who led investigations into former President Joe Biden and his family now say it is someone else’s job to probe possible self-dealing by the Trump family. Read more.
The close aide to the president, known to filter much of the information reaching the commander-in-chief, ultimately relented in recent months after pressure from White House staff. Read more.
