President Donald Trump takes a hit with millennials as approval rating slips
President Donald Trump is losing further ground among millennials, with his approval rating among Americans aged 30 to 44 falling to 26% in the latest The Economist/YouGov poll. The survey, conducted from August 14 to 17, shows younger Americans remain particularly critical of Trump’s handling of foreign policy and tariffs. Trump’s overall approval also remains weak ahead of the midterms, at 35%, compared with 61% who disapprove.
Donald Trump’s support among millennials continues to fall
Trump’s 26% approval among millennials is down from 29% the previous week, marking the fifth consecutive week in which his approval among the group has either declined or remained unchanged. The latest figure matches the lowest level recorded for Trump among the age group since the June 5-8 The Economist/YouGov survey, when 26% approved of his performance.
Younger voters overall are similarly negative. Among Americans aged 18 to 29, 30% approve and 67% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the presidency, while among those aged 30 to 44, 26% approve and 70% disapprove.
Foreign policy and tariffs see weaker standing
Trump’s numbers on foreign policy and tariffs are similarly weak among younger voters. Only 24% of 18-to-29-year-olds approve of his handling of foreign policy, while 25% approve of his handling of tariffs. Among millennials, the numbers are lower, as 21% approve of Trump’s handling of foreign policy and just 19% approve of his handling of tariffs. The figures come as Trump heads toward the 2026 midterms with his overall approval near the lowest levels recorded in recent polling.
Other polls show similarly weak numbers
Earlier this month, YouGov recorded Trump’s approval at 33%, compared with 62% disapproval, his highest disapproval rating in that poll. Although the latest 35% approval figure represents a modest improvement, it does not reverse the broader decline among younger voters. An Echelon Insights poll released Tuesday, August 18, put Trump’s overall approval at 40% and disapproval at 59%. Among 18-to-34-year-olds, 28% approved and 72% disapproved, while among those aged 35 to 49, approval was 40% against 57% disapproval. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday, August 17, found 33% approval and 64% disapproval nationally.
White House defends Donald Trump’s record
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales defended Trump’s record in a statement to Newsweek. “President Trump has signed the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, sealed the border, driven violent crime to the lowest level in nearly a century, unleashed an energy revolution, and sent Americans’ 401(k)s climbing to record highs. President Trump is cleaning up Joe Biden’s mess and there is more work to do, but the United States of America has never been stronger,” the statement read.
A White House official also cited FBI data showing a decline in violent crime by more than 9% in 2025, 15 consecutive months of zero migrant releases at the border, declining apprehensions and a 3.1% year-over-year fall in prescription drug prices in July, the steepest annual decline in more than 60 years, according to The Washington Post.