This could turn into a serious problem for Republicans going forward.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly told voters that the country had “gone to hell” while Joe Biden was president. He used that message to argue that America was worse off and needed major change. But new polling suggests that message may not be landing the way Republicans hoped.
A recent poll from Harvard’s Center for American Political Studies, conducted with Harris, shows that many Americans now believe Trump is actually doing a worse job as president than Biden did. About 51% of people surveyed said Trump’s performance in the White House is worse than his predecessor’s. At the same time, Trump’s overall approval rating dropped by two points, falling to 45%. Support for him declined across every major policy area, not just one or two issues.
The poll also highlights which actions people dislike the most. Many respondents disapproved of Trump’s decision to expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of his tougher immigration policies. Others were unhappy with his choice to pull the United States out of international organizations, seeing it as harmful to America’s role in the world.
On top of that, a majority of those surveyed—around 55% said they believe Trump is making bad deals for the country. This suggests growing concern that his approach to negotiations and foreign policy may not be benefiting the United States.
Mark Penn, one of the leaders of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, said these results point to real trouble ahead for Republicans. According to him, the party may now be heading into a very difficult midterm election, with voters showing clear signs of dissatisfaction.
