CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten was incredulous as he tried to explain his aggregate of polls in 2017 versus 2025. It shows Trump’s net approval rating at -5 in the first month of his first term versus +4 points this time around. Numbers like this don’t make the people over at CNN very happy.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen Reports’ daily tracking poll of the president on Monday (Feb. 10) showed Trump with a 52% approval rating. This is lower than his approval number on Jan. 23 – three days after he took office – when he polled at 56%. Meanwhile, in another survey, Rasmussen found that “55% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is better for the Democratic Party if Democrats try to work with Trump, while 36% say Democrats should oppose Trump in every way possible. Eight years ago, after Trump took office in his first term, 63% thought it would be better for Democrats to cooperate with Trump.”
What are we to make of these numbers? Well, a couple of things.
Trump is still Trump. Perhaps he’s smoothed a few rough edges, but it’s more likely that America's public opinion has changed rather than the man himself. The Napolitan News Service has been studiously tracking presidential approval since inauguration day when he enjoyed a favorable score of +18 points; however, in early February, his net approval fell to +6.*
Polling – The Man vs. the Message
What the polls seem to be telling us is that Americans like what Trump is doing. The Baltimore Sun pointed out, “When the conversation is framed around approval of Trump’s performance as president, he earns even better marks.” The numbers indicate that Americans have shifted their attitude about several issues, including immigration and a reduction in aid overseas. A Pew survey found that 64% said one of the top priorities for foreign spending should be to reduce “the flow of illegal drugs into our country”; promoting and “defending human rights in other countries” polled at only 26%.
Pew also looked at American attitudes toward immigration and found that 47% “say the administration is doing about the right amount” of deportations. It also found, “There is widespread public support for the ramp-up of deportations.”
There is no doubt that in his second term, Trump is enjoying a fair amount of public approval. Voters like it when a candidate who is elected spends time and effort keeping his promises. In interview after interview, the president and members of his Cabinet iterate this message. That they feel an obligation to do what they said they would seems to be comforting Americans.
At this point in his presidency, Trump appears to be a man on a mission, and there’s nothing to suggest that he will change this attitude. It’s likely the honeymoon is not over yet, but a sinking public approval in polling is worth watching. However, the fact that he will not run for office again may, in fact, be liberating. As has often been said, it’s remarkable what can be accomplished when you don’t care what other people think.
*2025 numbers reflect three-survey rolling averages.
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