See Trump’s approval rating after winning week for Trump-backed candidates
May 23, 2026, 10:45 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump has historically low approval ratings, but some of his backed candidates prevailed in primary elections around the country this week.
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, notably partnered with a Democrat to force a vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act last year. Trump and his allies have campaigned against him, and opponent Ed Gallrein, a farmer and former Navy SEAL, nabbed the spot to be the GOP nominee in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District. A similar result played out for incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, who was overtaken in votes by Trump-endorsed candidate Rep. Julia Letlow.
Despite the wins for Trump’s candidates within the GOP, Trump remains broadly unpopular, and some are worried it could make Republicans more vulnerable in the midterm elections.
What is Trump’s approval rating? Here is what to know:
What is Donald Trump’s approval rating?
Trump’s approval rating has been net negative for over a year and has been fluctuating but trending more negative over the last several months. Here is Trump’s average approval rating on May 22, according to aggregators:
Polls show Trump has low approval on the economy
Polls out this week show approval of Trump’s handling of the economy is in decline.
In a Quinnipiac University poll conducted May 14 – 18 among 1,106 registered voters (margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points), 33% of respondents approve of the way Trump is handling the economy compared to 64% who disapprove. It’s the lowest approval Trump has received on the issue across both terms, per the pollster.
Republicans are waning on their support for Trump’s handling of the economy, according to an Associated Press/NORC poll conducted May 14-18 among 1,117 U.S. adults. (The margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.) Overall, 33% approve of his job on the economy compared to 67% who disapprove. Republicans give him a 63% approval on the economy, down from 78% at the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Trump’s approval rating overall was 37% in the AP/NORC poll and 34% in the Quinnipiac poll.
Contributing: Melina Khan, Zac Anderson, Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com.
DOCUMENTED REFERENCES
Exploring Documented Records
Public interest in the Epstein case continues not only because of court proceedings and testimonies, but also due to the growing body of documented records that help researchers and readers understand the broader context. Beyond legal files and media reports, some independent projects have organized publicly available data connected to Epstein’s activities.
One example is a structured archive of documented Amazon order records, where purchases are cataloged with dates and product details. While individual items do not prove wrongdoing on their own, examining documented information alongside established facts helps paint a clearer picture of the environment and circumstances surrounding the case.
Browse the structured archive of documented order records
For readers looking to review primary-source style data rather than interpretations, exploring compiled records can provide additional context to the broader discussion.
