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Public support for U.S. president Donald Trump is plummeting in the wake of his administration’s ongoing mishandling of documents tied to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein – and amid escalating American interventionism in the Middle East.
According to aggregate polling data compiled by RealClear Polling, Trump’s disapproval rating climbed to 55.5% yesterday (February 17, 2026) while his approval rating dipped to 42%. That -13.5% gap was the largest of his second term – and puts Republicans in an incredibly difficult position as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
Trump has been underwater in the polls since March of last year, although he remains immensely popular in early-voting South Carolina – especially among Republican primary voters.
While Trump’s second-term fortunes are indeed flagging, his numbers this go-round are still slightly better than they were during his first term in office.
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On December 13, 2017, a whopping 58.1% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s job performance – per RealClearPolling‘s aggregate data. Only 37% approved. That -21.1% gap was the low-water mark of Trump’s first administration – which concluded on January 20, 2021 with 56.1% of Americans disapproving of his performance and just 41.1% approving (a -15% gap).
Trump is also still faring marginally better than his predecessor in the White House.
Former U.S. president Joe Biden left office on January 20, 2025 with 57.1% of Americans disapproving of his performance and just 39% approving (a -18.1% gap). His low-water mark came on July 20, 2022, when 57.4% of Americans disapproved of him compared to just 37.1% who approved (-20.3).
While polls have consistently understated Trump’s true levels of support amongst the American electorate, the Epstein mess and his latest foreign entanglement – presumably entered into at the behest of the state of Israel – have clearly dragged his numbers down.
How low will they go? Or will Trump bounce back before the midterms? Stay tuned…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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2 comments
Between Epstein coverups, pardons for corrupt politicians and other cronies, and his chomping at the bit to start WWIII (over Jewkraine or over Iran), Trumpstein seems hell-bent on losing the mid-terms for “the Republicans”. I believe it is 100% intentional on his part. That way, as with last time, Trumpstein will not have to put up a pretense of trying to improve things, restore freedom, or any other thing he has promised but never wanted to do. With a Democrat House, Senate, or both, he need not pretend. The sheep will go “baaa” and the Trumptards will blame the Democrats, not Trump. That leaves him tons of free time to use his position as President to enhance his empire, the Kushner empire, and those of his cronies. It also leaves him plenty of time to pardon more corrupt politicians for their misdeeds. Win-Win.
Polls ….. pfft! Hillary was claimed to have a zillion percent lead against Trump. Ronald Reagan, even polls had him losing.
Polls make me laugh and even laugh at the idiots who trust them