Trump's approval rating plunges to new low as independents abandon him

In the United States, a recent Gallup poll conducted between July 7 and 21, 2025, revealed that President Donald Trump's job approval rating has decreased to 37%, marking his lowest approval rating during his second term. This decline among U.S. adults represents a significant drop of 10 percentage points since January, largely influenced by a stark 17-point decrease among independent voters, whose approval rating for Trump now stands at 29%, matching its all-time low. The survey results come shortly after Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, which aimed to address key priorities of his administration, including tax cuts and increased funding for border security, defense, and energy production, while simultaneously cutting funding for healthcare and nutrition programs like Medicaid. The poll highlights Trump's handling of various major issues: he received the highest marks for addressing the situation with Iran and foreign affairs, with approval rates of 42% and 41% respectively. However, his ratings in other areas such as immigration, the economy, and foreign trade were lower, all falling into the 36-38% range. The approval rating from independent voters has been particularly harsh, reflecting discontent with the president’s performance, as their approval of Trump hovered around 36% across major issues surveyed. Amidst these developments, Trump's second-quarter job approval rating averaged 40%, a figure that is lower than the historical averages for two-term presidents during the same period. This trend suggests that Trump’s struggles with gaining favor among independents could hinder his ambitions for re-election. Notably, in comparison to his performance in his first term, Trump’s current ratings are considerably lower, underscoring a loss of support as he grapples with mounting disapproval among voters of different affiliations. The figures indicate a significant gap between Trump's approval ratings among Republicans, where he maintains support in the 81-88% range for nearly all issues, contrasted with the substantial disapproval rates among Democrats and independents. Particularly among independents, Trump's standing has sharply declined since his inauguration, mirroring a broader trend of reduced popularity as he embarks on his second term. This survey from Gallup serves as a wake-up call for the administration as it approaches the midpoint of Trump's second term, raising concerns about the feasibility of his policy goals amid dwindling support.