Trump Holds the Right, Alienates the Left: Approval Ratings Reveal a Deeply Divided Nation

President Donald Trump’s second term is well underway and the numbers tell a familiar story: he remains one of the most polarising figures in modern U.S. political history. While his support among Republican voters is unwavering, the country at large remains deeply split over his leadership. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is slowly building name recognition but his rise comes with growing disapproval, mirroring Trump’s national divide.

Despite transformative executive actions, including ending U.S. foreign assistance, gutting USAID, empowering Elon Musk’s teams across government and launching a new era of trade tariffs, Trump’s base continues to support him. However, for a growing number of Americans, his presidency is a source of national anxiety.

Trump’s Approval Holds Steady But Polarisation Deepens

According to the latest poll, 47% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, a figure unchanged from the previous poll. Of these, 28% strongly approve, down slightly from 30%, while 19% somewhat approve, remaining stable. However, disapproval has risen marginally, with 48% now disapproving of the president (up from 46%), including 36% who strongly disapprove.

Despite launching foreign policy overhauls, threatening military action to seize foreign territory, and slashing traditional federal agencies, his support among Republicans remains solid. A staggering 87% of those who voted for Trump in 2024 approve of his performance, with 56% strongly approving.

Conversely, the numbers among Harris 2024 voters paint a stark picture of national division. A massive 73% of Democrats strongly disapprove of Trump, an increase from 66% in the previous wave. Only 6% of Harris voters express any form of approval. This hardening of sentiment reflects mounting frustration with Trump’s foreign agenda, particularly his abandonment of Ukraine, proposed evacuation of Gaza, and a sweeping realignment of U.S. global influence.

Meanwhile, among those who didn’t vote in 2024, Trump’s approval is low but not non-existent: 9% strongly approve, while 14% somewhat approve, suggesting a small but not insignificant group of new converts or potential supporters if economic concerns remain front and center.

Gender and Age Gaps: Trump’s Base Remains Older, More Male

The gender divide in Trump’s approval remains pronounced. While 32% of men strongly approve of his job performance, only 26% of women say the same. Male support is holding steady but female disapproval is significant, with 39% strongly disapproving, compared to 34% of men.

Younger voters remain the most critical. Among 18–24-year-olds, only 24% strongly approve of Trump, while 36% strongly disapprove. Among voters aged 65 and over, the numbers flip: 28% strongly approve and just 32% strongly disapprove, indicating that Trump’s older base is more forgiving, especially as he frames his economic and foreign policy agenda around restoring “American strength.”

JD Vance: Name Recognition Grows But So Does Disapproval

Vice President JD Vance is beginning to emerge from Trump’s shadow with 11% indicating they “Don’t know” now compared to 14% in the previous poll. His approval rating has held steady at 44%, with 25% strongly approving and 19% somewhat approving. These figures are nearly identical to the previous poll, where he stood at 44% total approval (26% strongly approve, 18% somewhat).

However, Vance’s disapproval has ticked upward. Now 44% disapprove (34% strongly, 10% somewhat), compared to 43% previously. As with Trump, these views split sharply along partisan lines. Among Trump voters, 82% approve of Vance (50% strongly), compared to just 12% among Harris voters, where a staggering 68% now strongly disapprove, up from 66%.

The challenge for Vance is clear: while he benefits from Trump’s coattails, he is becoming a more recognisable and more divisive national figure in his own right. This shift comes as Vance takes on more prominent roles in foreign diplomacy and domestic policy, often acting as Trump’s messenger-in-chief in turbulent settings like the Munich Security Conference, where he openly rebuked European leaders.

As Trump 2.0 accelerates its radical transformation of both the U.S. government and global alliances, the American public remains entrenched. Approval ratings for both Trump and Vance are steady but split, showing little room for persuasion on either side.

Trump voters from 2024 remain fervently loyal, seemingly encouraged by his aggressive tactics at home and abroad. Harris voters, on the other hand, have dug in their heels, increasingly alienated by Trump’s governing style and foreign policy doctrine.

JD Vance is growing more familiar to the American electorate but like his boss, he is quickly becoming a partisan lightning rod. The administration’s challenge will not be converting the other side but delivering meaningful economic and healthcare improvements to convince the electorate that they are heading in the right direction.

Download the data tables for this poll.