85% Of Americans Disapprove Of Trump’s Pardoning Of Jan. 6 Rioters, President’s Approval Rating Underwater For First Time In New Term

President Donald Trump‘s approval rating is underwater for the first time in the new term, according to a recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS and several other reputable national polls. 

A majority of voters fault the president for overstepping his authority. The poll shows that 47% of Americans approve of Trump’s actions since taking office, while 52% don’t approve. Seventy-five percent say Trump has handled the presidency how they expected it, while 25% say he’s handling it has surprised them.

Trump’s standing is low by historical standards, with most new presidents generally having positive approval ratings.

Immigration reform is the most popular item on Trump’s agenda, including his promise of the largest deportations in history. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with tech billionaire Elon Musk as the director, is also popular so far in its work to reduce the federal workforce and spending.

More than half of Americans are weary – 55% say Trump has not paid attention to the country’s most important problems, and 54% are concerned about the remainder of Trump’s second term.

A new poll from Reuters/Ipsos similarly showed Trump’s approval rating at 44%, compared to his 49% at the end of January.

The biggest drag on Trump was the unpopularity of his Jan. 6 pardons – 58% of Americans disapproved of the president’s decision to pardon nearly all of the rioters. His move to impose tariffs on America’s main trading partners was also unpopular with a majority of those surveyed.