Trump approval rating slips to 38 percent: Poll

A Pew Research Center polls finds just 38 percent of respondents approve of President Trump’s job performance compared to 41 percent two months ago.

The worsening performance appears to be linked to disapproval of Trump's tariff policies, and to some opposition to the "Big Beautiful Bill" signed into law earlier this summer that extended Trump's first-term tax cuts, expanded those cuts, and also cut Medicaid.

Sixty-one percent of the 3,554 adults who were surveyed disapprove of Trump’s tariff policies as prices rise on regular goods. The tax and spending law results are more mitigated: 46 percent disapprove of the legislation, 32 percent approve and 23 percent say they are unsure. 

On other key issues, voters still have some confidence in Trump.

Forty-seven percent say they are "somewhat confident" in Trump’s ability to negotiate trade deals. On immigration, Trump also received a 46 percent confidence vote. 

The administration’s handling of files related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are an issue for the GOP and Trump.

Seven in 10 respondents agreed the case was mishandled. Among Republicans, 53 percent disapprove of the handling of the Epstein files, with 44 percent approving. Overall, 63 percent of respondents say they do not trust what the federal government is saying about the Epstein files 

Other questions also shed some light on Trump’s overall performance: 53 percent said Trump is making the federal government worse, while only 27 percent say he is making it better. 

Democrats disapprove of Trump overwhelmingly more than Republicans, but both political parties are showing less satisfaction. 

Fifty-five percent of Republicans said Trump was making the government better, and 16 percent said he was making it worse. Just after the inauguration, 76 percent of Republicans believed Trump would make the government better in the future.

With Democrats, 78 percent said Trump was making the government worse after the inauguration; that number is now up to 87 percent.  

Since he took office, the president's overall approval ratings have dropped 9 points, according to Pew's numbers. 

In February, 95 percent of Trump voters approved of his job performance, while it now stands at 85 percent. Among nonvoters, Trump has lost 13 percent of support.