A new national poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are below 50 percent on nearly every major issue — except border security.
A Marquette Law School survey, conducted May 5 to 15, found Trump holds a +12 net approval rating on border security, marking the only issue where he remains in positive territory.
Public opinion on immigration is evenly split at 50-50, while Trump sees net disapproval on key topics such as foreign policy (-14), the economy (-16) and the Russia-Ukraine conflict (-20). He fares even worse on economic issues that hit voters' wallets: his handling of tariffs draws a net disapproval of -26 and inflation and the cost of living earn him the lowest marks, with a net approval of -32.
Trump’s weakest areas of approval, inflation and the cost of living, are the top concern for voters, with 36 percent of Americans identifying it as the most pressing issue facing the country.
Most Americans, 61 percent , believe Trump’s policies will increase inflation, while only 28 percent think they will reduce it. Among Republicans, confidence in Trump’s ability to lower inflation has decreased significantly—from 76 percent in December 2024 to 55 percent by May 2025.
His approval on economic issues declined further after announcing new tariffs on April 2, which disrupted markets and fueled inflation fears, even though April data showed a slowdown in price growth.
Overall, public sentiment is pessimistic: 58 percent believe the country is on the wrong track and only 32 percent rate the economy as excellent or good.
The poll’s margin of error is ±3.6 percentage points.
Trump receives stronger support on immigration, with 66 percent backing the deportation of undocumented immigrants. However, support drops to 42 percent when those immigrants are described as law-abiding, employed and long-term residents.
Only 9 percent of respondents said immigration was the nation's most important issue despite the issue being a major focus in Trump’s second term.
The poll finds that 46 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, while 54 percent disapprove, which remains unchanged since March.
This stability mirrors other recent polls, which show his approval ratings have remained steady since mid-April.
