Trump Approval Rating Declines In February: 'Unpopular Domestic And Foreign Policy Ideas'

President Donald Trump saw his approval rating decline in February, dropping from early high marks received after his Jan. 20 inauguration.

What Happened: Now in the White House for nearly a month, Trump has made several decisions and announcements, including a push for tariffs on countries like Canada, Mexico, and China, which have sparked mixed reactions among U.S. voters.

In the Emerson College February poll of nationally registered voters, Trump has a 48% approval rating and 42% disapproval rating. The remaining 10% are neutral on Trump's job approval.

This marks a one-point gain for Trump's disapproval rating and a one-point drop from Trump's approval rating from the Emerson College January poll.

In the poll, voters were asked about several proposed expansions by Trump, including taking over the Gaza strip and Greenland and adding Canada as the 51st state. Here are the results on whether voters oppose or support those expansions by the United States.

• Greenland: 44% oppose, 30% support, 25% unsure
• Canada: 55% oppose, 26% support, 19% unsure
• Gaza Strip: 58% oppose, 18% support, 24% unsure

"The poll findings suggest generally unpopular domestic and foreign policy ideas, however, Trump's approval has not shifted significantly since last month," Emerson College executive director of polling Spencer Kimball said.

Poll results showed a divide among voters on the tariff debate. Thirty-nine percent of voters said they think tariffs will create American jobs, while 39% said tariffs could eliminate jobs. The remaining 22% said tariffs will have no impact on jobs.

"A majority of Republicans think tariffs help create American jobs at 65%, while a majority of Democrats think tariffs eliminate American jobs at 61%. Independents think they eliminate jobs 39% to 31%."

One area where Trump has more support is his recent executive order that could discontinue production of the penny. Forty-six percent of voters support this decision, while 29% oppose it and 25% are unsure.

Why It's Important: Trump's approval rating started strong in January for his second term as president after winning the 2024 election.

His decision to push tariffs on other countries and explore expanding the United States by acquiring or forcing territorial expansion seems to show less support than his overall rating.

A recent Benzinga poll found that Trump's tariffs could have a negative impact on the stock market, which could influence the answers of voters.

“How will Trump’s tariffs affect the stock market?” Benzinga asked.

The results were:

• Weigh down: 59%
• Push higher: 23%
• No real impact: 19%

The majority of respondents said Trump’s tariffs will send the stock market lower. The remaining voters were split nearly even between the stock market going higher as the result of tariffs or the tariffs not having a real impact on stock market returns.

Trump's approval ratings in his first months in office will be closely monitored as he pushes many proposals forward and fights for control across many areas.

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