One final thought: In politics, you only have to do better than your competition. While The WSJ’s poll had Trump’s approval rating underwater, it also found that congressional Republicans hold sizable leads over Democrats on both the economy and inflation.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating dropped one percentage point to 40%, the lowest level of his second term in office, as Americans remained concerned about his handling of the economy and immigration,

The up-and-down nature of approval polls can paint a picture of the landscape heading into the 2026 elections.