Johnson Defends Trump’s Low Approval Rating: Had To Fix Biden Admin ‘Disaster’
President Donald Trump‘s approval rating is underwater in every swing state, as his approval rating has also plunged nationwide, new polling shows with registered voters.
Why It Matters
The president’s approval ratings in swing states offer an early snapshot of how voters in critical battlegrounds are responding to his second term—and how his political strength may be starting to crack.
With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, regional shifts in support could reshape campaign strategies, influence down-ballot races and determine which states become critical.
What To Know
There are six states that have become the key swing states in recent presidential elections: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All of these states went for former Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 election but flipped to Trump in the 2024 election.
Most of these states—including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—had also been won by Trump in the 2016 election, before Biden flipped them in 2020. North Carolina has also been viewed as a key battleground in recent presidential cycles, however Trump carried the state in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
Here’s a closer look at what the polling shows in these critical battleground states.
Arizona
An online tracking poll by Civiqs shows 49 percent of Arizona respondents disapprove of Trump, while 47 percent approve. An additional 4 percent said they neither approve nor disapprove of the president.
In the 2024 election, Trump carried Arizona with 52.2 percent of the vote compared to the Democratic candidate former Vice President Kamala Harris‘ 46.7 percent.
The Civiqs online poll is updated regularly and has been running since January 20, 2025, the first day of Trump’s second term. Nationwide it includes nearly 23,000 responses.
Georgia
In the southern state of Georgia, Trump’s approval rating is even further underwater. The Civiqs data shows 51 percent in the state disapprove of the president and 45 percent approve—a margin of negative 6 points against Trump. An additional 4 percent said they neither approve nor disapprove.
Trump won Georgia with 50.7 percent of the vote last year, compared to Harris’ 48.5 percent.
Michigan
The president is 4 points underwater in Michigan, with 50 percent of the state disapproving and 46 percent approving. An additional 4 percent of Michiganders neither approve nor disapprove.
Trump carried the Midwestern state by 1.4 percent in 2024, winning 49.7 percent compared to Harris’ 48.3 percent.
Nevada
Trump’s approval rating in Nevada stands at 47 percent while his disapproval rating is 2 points higher, at 49 percent. As with the previously mentioned states, 4 percent of respondents neither approve nor disapprove.
Trump flipped Nevada in 2024, which was the first time a Republican presidential candidate had won in the state in two decades. He secured 50.6 percent of the state’s votes compared to 47.5 percent that went to his Democratic opponent.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, Trump is underwater by 6 points, with 51 percent disapproving and 45 percent approving. Again, 4 percent neither approve nor disapprove.
The president won the Keystone State with 50.4 percent of the vote in 2024, as his Democratic rival received 48.7 percent.
Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, 51 percent approve of Trump and 46 percent disapprove, a negative margin of 5 percent. An additional 3 percent neither approve nor disapprove.
Trump carried the Midwestern state by less than 1 percent in 2024. He won 49.6 percent of the vote and Harris won 48.7 percent.
President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Tuscaloosa National Airport on May 1 in Alabama. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social last week: “The Polls from the Fake News are, like the News itself, FAKE! We are doing GREAT, better than ever before.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, when asked by CNN last week if he was worried about Trump’s approval rating: “No, I’m not worried at all. I just had a great meeting with the president at the White House and he’s in good spirts, and we are as well… We’re very bullish on it [2026] … We are playing offense.”
Jack Dozier, the deputy director at Yale Youth Poll to Newsweek this week: “Polls now are gauging only the first 100 days of Trump’s nonconsecutive administrations, so any potential lasting damage has yet to be revealed. This is something we’ll better have a grasp of as a polling community about a year into the presidency. At this point of the Biden-Harris administration, approval ratings were through the roof! So, only time can tell.”
Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: “Let me explain to you why Donald Trump’s sinking approval ratings matter. His enablers and backers will get cold feet as they feel the country turning against him. And it’s proof that our activism and our protest is working.”
What Happens Next?
The elections later this year in Virginia and New Jersey will be the first major bellwether of how voters are feeling under Trump’s leadership. Analysts will be watching the results to see if Republicans or Democrats make gain.
Then the 2026 midterm elections will be a major test for the two major parties, as control of the House and Senate will be up for grabs. Historically, the sitting president’s party loses seats in the midterm, with Democrats aiming to capitalize on this trend to take back control of Congress. (Newsweek)