Trump's approval falls to record-low 33% in ABC/Post/Ipsos poll two weeks before midterms

Why it matters

ABC News, The Washington Post and Ipsos released a joint poll on Sunday, Oct. 18: Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 33%, with 66% disapproving — the worst marks for him in this polling series across either of his presidential terms. The poll lands about two weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections and is being read as a bellwether.

Full report

The survey was conducted Oct. 9–13 among 2,545 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Fifty-two percent said they strongly disapprove of Trump, a record high for the series; among independents, approval was just 22%, also a record low. Economic dissatisfaction is the main driver: he gets 21% approval on the cost of living (77% disapprove), 23% on inflation and 28% on the economy overall; 72% say the country is headed in the wrong direction. On the House generic ballot, Democrats lead 52% to 44% — an eight-point advantage; Democrats also lead Republicans on trust to handle the economy, 40% to 33%, for the first time in more than a decade. A Fox News poll released Oct. 14 likewise gave Trump his lowest rating in that network's polling for either term.

Source

ABC News / Washington Post / Ipsos joint poll (released 2026-10-18; reported by Eastora News, USA Today, QNC News and others), corroborated by the Oct. 14 Fox News poll.