“Highest Numbers I Ever Had” Trump Claims Record Popularity Despite New Low in Polls

President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday that he wished he could run for a third term, claiming he had the “highest numbers I ever had.” But the latest round of national polling tells a very different story.

A new Economist/YouGov survey released Wednesday shows Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 39 percent, with 58 percent of Americans disapproving of his job performance. That’s his lowest number of his second term and nearly the lowest of any Economist/YouGov poll since his first time in the White House. The survey, conducted between October 24 and 27 among 1,623 U.S. adults, has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

Despite the slump, Trump doubled down on his claim that his popularity is soaring. He repeated the same boast Monday on Truth Social, insisting his numbers were stronger than ever, even though most polling averages show his approval rating has steadily declined since returning to office.

Other surveys tell the same story. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted October 24–26 found his approval rating dropped to 40 percent, down two points from earlier in the month. Fifty-seven percent of Americans said they disapprove of his performance. Meanwhile, a Morning Consult poll taken at the same time showed Trump holding at 46 percent approval, with 51 percent disapproving.

According to another Economist/YouGov poll taken October 17–20, Trump’s approval stood at 39 percent, with 56 percent disapproving. Respondents in that survey largely blamed Republicans for the ongoing government shutdown—39 percent pointed fingers at the GOP, compared with 31 percent who blamed Democrats.

Even when Trump’s numbers tick up slightly, they don’t stay there long. A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted October 15–20 had him at 42 percent approval, only for his rating to dip again days later. The same poll found that half of respondents blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 43 percent blamed Democrats.

Earlier in the month, a Morning Consult poll showed Trump’s approval temporarily climbed to 51 percent—his highest point since late August—but it quickly slipped back below 45 percent in subsequent surveys.

By mid-October, an Emerson College poll showed 47 percent of voters approved of how Trump handled the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal, but his overall job approval barely budged.

Several other polls released throughout October show similar numbers, with Trump’s approval hovering between 39 and 46 percent. Disapproval consistently remains above 50 percent.

For context, Trump’s average approval rating so far in his second term sits around 42 percent, roughly the same as President Joe Biden’s but still lower than most presidents since World War II, according to Gallup.

Gallup’s long-term data shows Trump’s overall average approval rating across both terms at 41 percent—lower than any president since Harry Truman. Biden follows closely behind with 42 percent, while Truman and Jimmy Carter come in at 45 and 46 percent, respectively.

Still, Trump insists the numbers don’t tell the whole story. As he put it this week, “The sad thing is, I have my highest numbers that I’ve ever had.”