Where Donald Trump stands with Americans 100 days into his second presidency
President Donald Trump is giving himself a big thumbs-up when it comes to his job performance during his second tour of duty in the White House. “I think we’re doing really well,” Trump told reporters last week. As he neared the 100-day mark into his second administration, he predicted that “we’re going to be the strongest that we’ve ever been as a nation.”
Trump has aggressively asserted executive authority in his second term, overturning long-standing government policy and making major cuts to the federal workforce through an avalanche of sweeping and controversial executive orders and actions – with some aimed at addressing grievances he has held since his first term.
As of Thursday morning, April 24, 2025, President Donald Trump had signed 137 executive orders since returning to office on Jan. 20, 2025. However, despite his confidence in his job performance, the latest poll numbers suggest that Americans are not overly thrilled with the job Trump’s doing steering the nation.
The president stands at 44% approval and 55% disapproval in the most recent Fox News national poll conducted from April 18-21. Trump’s numbers are also underwater in polls released by other major news outlets, indicating a decline from his initial poll position when he started his second term.
Contributing to the drop in approval ratings are increasing concerns over the economy, inflation, and a recent trade war sparked by Trump’s tariff announcement. Trump’s approval rating on the economy is at 38% in the Fox News poll, with just a third of respondents approving of his handling of inflation and tariffs.
Despite the decline in approval ratings, Trump has solid support from Republicans, with nearly nine-in-ten GOP members approving of his job performance. However, nearly three-quarters of Independents disapprove of the president’s performance in office.
Daron Shaw, a member of the Fox News Decision Team, noted the consolidation of the Republican base behind Trump. Trump’s overall approval rating is close to where he stood 100 days into his first term in office in 2017, according to Fox News polling.
Comparing Trump’s approval ratings to his predecessors, he is the only president to have sub-50% average approval ratings during a first quarter in office. While promising approval ratings at the beginning of a presidency don’t guarantee a positive and productive term, history has shown that approval ratings can fluctuate throughout a president’s time in office.
President Joe Biden, Trump’s predecessor, started with a 54% approval rating but saw his numbers sink into negative territory due to various challenges during his presidency. Biden’s approval ratings stayed underwater throughout his term, leading him to drop his bid for re-election last summer.
In conclusion, while Trump may be giving himself a big thumbs-up for his job performance, the latest poll numbers indicate that there is room for improvement in the eyes of the American public. As the president continues his second term, it remains to be seen how his leadership will be perceived in the months and years ahead.
