TL/DR –
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has declined amid various controversies. He recently ended the longest government shutdown in history and promised stimulus checks, but no firm plans have been confirmed. Additionally, new details about his relationship with accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein have emerged, with leaked emails suggesting Trump spent time with one of Epstein’s victims and knew about others; the White House called the release of these emails a smear campaign.
![](\"https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2025/11/12/USAT/87232233007-donald-trump-epstein-emails.jpg?crop=1919,1079,x0,y0\"/)
![\"play\"](\"https://www.gannett-cdn.com/appservices/universal-web/universal/icons/icon-play-alt-white.svg\"){kind=icon}
Trump mentioned in leaked emails connected to Epstein
Leaked emails from Jeffrey Epstein allege Trump spent time with his victim, triggering a strong White House response.
President Donald Trump’s presidential approval rating continue to decline as he addresses the government shutdown, announces potential stimulus checks, and handles controversy.
Trump signed a bill on Nov. 12 that ended the longest shutdown in history after 43 days. The shutdown left many Americans struggling financially.
Trump raised hopes for financially strained Americans when he hinted at $2,000 stimulus checks via social media. However, no definitive plans for this check have been confirmed.
Details of Trump’s ties to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were revealed when Democrats from the House of Representatives unveiled emails showcasing the connections between the men. Epstein’s email revealed that Trump \”spent hours at my house\” with one of Epstein’s victims and was supposedly aware of the young girls. The White House labeled the Democratic release of the emails as a \”smear.\”
Welcome to the guide on Trump’s approval rating, its determination, and comparison with his first term and past presidents.
What is Donald Trump’s approval rating?
The latest approval ratings released about Trump’s administration are:
- Real Clear Polling‘s average of polls from Oct. 24 to Nov. 13 indicates a 42.3 approval and 54.7 disapproval rate.
- The most recent Gallup poll shows Trump’s job approval rating at 41%.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll from Nov. 7 to Nov. 12 indicates that 40% of those surveyed gave him a favorable approval rating of his performance in office and 58% gave an unfavorable rating.
How do Trump’s approval ratings compare with his 1st term and past presidents?
Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when exiting office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%.
Compared to past presidents, Joe Biden had 40%, Barack Obama 59%, George W. Bush 34%, Bill Clinton 66%, George H.W. Bush 56%, Ronald Reagan 63%, Jimmy Carter 34%, Gerald Ford 53%, Richard Nixon 24%.
Are presidential approval ratings accurate?
Data agency Gallup notes these ratings are a “powerful measure” that has played a pivotal role in politics for over 70 years. A president’s approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans who approve of the president’s performance. Factors such as legislation, actions, and elections can impact the rating.
According to ABC News, an approval rating represents the administration’s efficiency and can determine a politician’s electoral outcome or their accomplishments during their term. However, Quorum claims some analysts believe they are now less useful due to extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate.
“Presidential approval ratings have always been partisan, with members of the president’s party offering more positive assessments than those in the opposing party,” according to the Pew Research Center. “But the differences between Republicans and Democrats on views of the president have grown substantially in recent decades.”
—
Read More US Political News