Donald Trump Scores Best Approval Rating Since 'Liberation Day'—Poll

Donald Trump has scored his highest approval rating with one leading pollster since he announced widespread tariffs on April 2, a date the president dubbed "Liberation Day."

The Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted on May 12 and 13, had President Trump's approval rating at 44 percent, a two-point increase from the previous poll conducted April 25 to 27. His disapproval rating was 52 percent.

President Trump's approval rating has not been higher in Reuters/Ipsos polling since March 26, a week before he announced the tariffs, when it was at 45 percent. His disapproval rating then was 51 percent.

Reuters/Ipsos' new poll also gives Trump his best net rating (approval minus disapproval scores) at - 8 since before Liberation Day. His net rating was -6 on March 26.

Why It Matters

Trump began his second term with a 47 percent approval rating, but his popularity fell sharply, according to pollsters, after he announced widespread tariffs.

Trump's 10 percent "baseline" tariff on almost all U.S. imports, and varying "reciprocal" tariffs on major U.S. trading partners, sparked turmoil in stock and bond markets, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average recording its largest decline since June 2020.

On Monday, Washington and Beijing issued a 90-day pause in their reciprocal tariffs—which had climbed to more than 100 percent—causing stocks to surge.

This new poll, and others, suggest voters' concerns over the economy may be subsiding.

What To Know

The latest Reuters/Ipsos found that approval of Trump's economic management also rose. It now stands at 39 percent, up from 36 percent in the previous survey.

Along with the slight rise in the president's approval, economic anxiety saw a significant decline—though it remains prevalent. In the new poll, 69 percent of respondents said they were concerned about a recession, down from 76 percent in the previous one.

Similarly, the share of people worried about stock market instability fell from 67 percent to 60 percent.

However, most respondents said they would hold Trump responsible for any potential economic downturn, despite Trump's efforts to blame his predecessor Joe Biden for economic declines, arguing that inflation surged under Biden's administration and that his trade policies are intended to correct imbalances.

According to the poll, 59 percent said it would be Trump's fault if a recession occurred this year, while 37 percent would place the blame on former President Biden.

The latest poll was conducted among 1,163 people and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

It is largely in line with other recent polls, which have shown an uptick in Trump's approval ratings after a period of decline.

In late April before the upturn, Trump slammed "FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS" and said they should be "investigated for ELECTION FRAUD."

Newsweek's tracker currently puts Trump's overall approval at 46 percent, with 50 percent disapproving—an uptick from 44 percent approval the previous week. Meanwhile, the latest TIPP Insights poll, conducted April 30 to May 2 among 1,400 adults, found Trump's net approval at -5 (42 percent approve, 47 percent disapprove), a slight improvement from -7 in early April.

Donald Trump Approval Rating Tracker

Yet the broader trend remains one of stagnation more than resurgence. Trump's approval ratings have not improved dramatically since mid-April, but neither have they deteriorated further. A YouGov poll conducted May 6–8 pegs his approval at 42 percent, unchanged from the prior week, while disapproval ticked down slightly from 52 to 50 percent.

And in the latest YouGov/The Economist poll, conducted May 9–12 among 1,850 adults, Trump's overall approval rating increased by 1 point to 43 percent, while his disapproval rating remained at 52 percent.

Similarly, a Quantus Insights survey from May 5–7 showed no significant movement, reinforcing the idea that Trump's numbers have stabilized—for now.

It comes as inflation has moderated in recent months, with the Labor Department reporting a cooling of annual price increases in April.

Meanwhile, Trump's move to slash tariffs on Chinese imports appears to have had a positive effect, with the S&P 500 index climbing about 17 percent from its lowest point during the president's second term.

Nonetheless, some polls still show that voters don't trust Trump on the economy following the fallout from his Liberation Day tariffs, despite the economy previously being Trump's strongest issue during his 2024 campaign.

In the latest Echelon Insights poll, conducted between May 8-12 among 1,000 likely voters, Trump's net approval rating on the economy sunk, with disapproval rising 2 points since April from 52 to 54 percent, while his approval remained the same at 44 percent.

In a Quantus poll last week, 51 percent of respondents said they disapprove of Trump's handling of tariffs and trade policy. Inflation also remains a thorn—with 42 percent saying they approve of his handling of the issue.

The latest AP-NORC survey, conducted between May 1 and 5 among 1,175 adults, showed even worse results for Trump, with just 36 percent approving of his handling of the economy, while 63 percent disapproved. That is a slight decline from April when 37 percent approved and 61 percent disapproved.

However, the Echelon Insights poll suggested fewer people now think the economic situation in the U.S. is getting worse, with only 50 percent saying so, down from 52 percent. And 36 percent now think the economic situation is improving, up from 30 percent, suggesting that fears about a possible recession may be dying down slightly.

What People Are Saying

Thomas Gift, associate professor of political science and director of the Centre on US Politics at University College London, told Newsweek: "Trump didn't escape the political fallout of Liberation Day unscathed. However, his backtracking from some of the more extreme tariff policies seems to have calmed the nerves of many voters. With the S&P 500 back to near-previous highs and projections lowered regarding a possible recession, it's no surprise Americans are feeling better about their pocketbooks than they were just a few weeks ago. However, it's clear that this is Trump's economy now, and any effort to scapegoat Biden for downturns from here on out likely won't succeed."

Democratic pollster Matt McDermott told Newsweek: "Trump's tariffs are a ticking time bomb for American consumers.

"The challenge for Trump is that tariffs don't hit all at once. They take a few months to ripple through the supply chain. But we're now starting to reach the point where prices are going up. Small businesses are getting squeezed. And major retailers like Walmart are warning Americans in plain English: the Trump tax is real, and it's coming."

What Happens Next

With economic concerns still weighing heavily on voters, the president's ability to sustain the recent bump in approval will likely depend on further economic stabilization and perhaps continued easing of trade tensions.

Update 5/15/25, 12:28 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Thomas Gift and Matt McDermott.