--- title: "Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips" description: "A majority of Americans (56%) say the overall level of ethics and honesty in the federal government has fallen over the course of Trump’s term." date: "2026-05-01" authors: - name: "Steven Shepard" job_title: "Associate Director, Politics" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/steven-shepard/" - name: "Jocelyn Kiley" job_title: "Director, Politics Research" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jocelyn-kiley/" - name: "Andy Cerda" job_title: "Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/andy-cerda/" - name: "Ted Van Green" job_title: "Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/ted-van-green/" - name: "Shanay Gracia" job_title: "Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/shanay-gracia/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-loses-ground-on-several-personal-traits-as-approval-rating-slips/" categories: - "Donald Trump" - "Political Parties & Polarization" - "Politics & Policy" --- # Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips ## Table of Contents 1. [Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-loses-ground-on-several-personal-traits-as-approval-rating-slips/markdown) - [How Trump’s 2024 voters evaluate his job performance](#how-trumps-2024-voters-evaluate-his-job-performance) - [Other key findings](#other-key-findings) 2. [Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/americans-continue-to-view-both-the-republican-and-democratic-parties-negatively/markdown) 3. [Democrats and Republicans place more importance on advancing own policies than finding common ground](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/democrats-and-republicans-place-more-importance-on-advancing-own-policies-than-finding-common-ground/markdown) 4. [Appendix: Additional charts](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-approval-may-2026-appendix/markdown) 5. [Acknowledgments](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-approval-may-2026-acknowledgments/markdown) 6. [Methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-approval-may-2026-methodology/markdown) ## Majority of Americans say level of ethics and honesty in government has fallen during Trump’s term ![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PP_26.04.27_trump_approval_featured.jpg?w=640) *U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on his "no tax on tips" policy at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 16, 2026. (Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)* **About this research** This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of Trump and the two major parties. #### Why did we do this? Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including views of the president, for decades. Learn more about [Pew Research Center.](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/) #### How did we do this? We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population. Here are the [survey questions](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PP_2026.5.1_Trump-approval_questionnaire.pdf) used for this analysis, the [detailed responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PP_2026.5.1_Trump-approval_topline.pdf) and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-approval-may-2026-methodology/). Americans’ assessments of President Donald Trump have declined steadily over the last several months. His job approval rating now stands at 34% – the lowest mark of his second term. He has also lost ground across a variety of personal attributes and issue areas. [![Chart shows Declining shares view Trump as keeping his promises, mentally sharp, honest](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_00-01.png?w=310)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301220) One of the steepest declines has been in the share of Americans who say Trump “keeps his promises.” Today, 38% say this describes Trump very or fairly well, down from 43% last August and 51% shortly after his reelection in November 2024. The share who describe Trump as “mentally sharp” (44%) is also down since last August (from 48%). Most Americans continue to see Trump as someone who stands up for what he believes in: 64% say this describes him well. But that share is down since last summer, too, from 68%. A new national survey by Pew Research Center – conducted April 20-26 among 5,103 U.S. adults – also finds that public confidence in Trump on several key issues facing the nation has declined: - 41% now say they are very or somewhat confident Trump can make good decisions on immigration policy, down from 46% in August and 53% shortly after his 2024 reelection. - 38% now express confidence in Trump to use military force wisely, down from 46% last summer. ***Related: ****[Americans remain critical of Trump administration’s approach to Iran](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/05/01/americans-remain-critical-of-trump-administrations-approach-to-iran/)* Confidence in Trump to make good decisions on economic policy has shifted less over this period – 42% express confidence today, while 44% did in August. The economy is among Trump's best-rated issues, though fewer overall are confident in him than not. [![Chart shows Majorities of Americans lack confidence in Trump to make good decisions on key issues](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_00-02.png?w=420)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301221) **Declines in Trump’s standing have come at least as much from Republicans as from Democrats.** Still, Republicans continue to offer generally positive views of the president, his personal traits and his performance on issues. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents: - 68% approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, down from 73% in January. - 70% say “keeps his promises” describes Trump at least fairly well – down 6 percentage points from last year and 14 percentage points from November 2024. - 72% express confidence in Trump to use military force wisely, down 11 points from last year. GOP confidence in Trump on foreign policy in general has declined 7 points over this time period. By comparison, Democrats and Democratic leaners continue to near-universally disapprove of Trump, little changed from the earliest days of his term. Just 5% today approve of his job performance. *Note: Most interviews were completed prior to the *[*April 25 shooting*](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/what-we-know-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooting-rcna342143)* at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.* ### How Trump’s 2024 voters evaluate his job performance **While most Trump voters still approve of the way he is handling his job as president, that share is shrinking:** 78% of the president’s 2024 voters currently approve of him, down from 83% in January and 95% in the early days of his term. [![Chart shows Trump’s approval rating has dropped among his 2024 voters, with declines most pronounced among his younger and Hispanic supporters](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_00-03.png?w=640)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301222) Within Trump’s 2024 coalition, nine-in-ten adults or more across demographic groups approved of his job performance in the weeks after he took office.** But Trump’s younger and Hispanic voters are now substantially less likely than his older and White voters to approve of his job performance:** - 57% of Trump voters under 35 and 70% of those ages 35 to 49 now approve, compared with 87% of his voters ages 50 and older. - 66% of Hispanic Trump voters approve of the president, compared with 81% of White Trump voters. Trump’s approval rating among his Hispanic voters has declined 27 points since early 2025, compared with a 14-point drop among his White voters. **Trump’s approval rating has also declined substantially among those who did not vote in 2024:** 26% of these U.S. adults now approve of his job performance, down from 30% in January and 45% in early 2025. **Nearly all 2024 Kamala Harris voters (98%) disapprove of Trump’s job performance,** little changed over the course of his term. ### Other key findings #### Ethics and honesty in government A majority of Americans (56%) say the overall level of ethics and honesty in the federal government has fallen over the course of Trump’s term. [![Chart shows Majority now say level of ethics in government has fallen under Trump](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_00-04.png?w=310)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301223) Far fewer (19%) say it has risen, while about a quarter (24%) say it has stayed about the same. In the first two weeks of Trump’s second term, 47% expected the level of ethics and honesty to fall, while 31% thought it would rise. ##### Views among Republicans Shortly after Trump took office in January 2025, 59% of Republicans said they expected the level of ethics would rise with Trump as president, while 11% said it would fall. Today, 37% of Republicans and Republican leaners say the level of ethics in government has risen with Trump as president, while 23% say it has fallen. ##### Views among Democrats Democrats and Democratic leaners overwhelmingly say the level of ethics and honesty has fallen over Trump’s term (88%). In the wake of Trump’s 2025 inauguration, 82% said they expected this to happen. #### Naming government buildings after Trump Following news about the renaming of [an airport](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/19/florida-palm-beach-trump-airport-rename-00789311) in West Palm Beach, Florida, [the Kennedy Center](https://abcnews.com/Politics/trumps-attempt-remake-kennedy-center-faces-key-legal/story?id=132449529) performing arts venue, and other [government buildings](https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/politics/us-institute-of-peace-renamed-trump) in Washington, D.C.: [![Chart shows Only about 1 in 10 say it is acceptable to name government buildings after Trump while he is president](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_00-05.png?w=310)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301224) - 50% of Americans say naming government buildings after Trump would not be acceptable. - Only 9% say it would be acceptable to do this while Trump is serving as president. - 21% say it would be acceptable to name government buildings after Trump once his presidency ends. ##### Views among Republicans Just 17% of Republicans say it would be acceptable to name government buildings after Trump while he is still in office, while 33% think this would be acceptable after his presidency. About two-in-ten (21%) say this is not acceptable at all, while nearly three-in-ten (28%) are not sure. ##### Views among Democrats Three-quarters of Democrats (77%) say naming government buildings after Trump would not be acceptable at any point. Just 3% say it’s acceptable while he is president, while another 11% see it as acceptable after his presidency. Democrats are far less likely than Republicans to express uncertainty on this question (just 9% are not sure). --- **Next:** [Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/americans-continue-to-view-both-the-republican-and-democratic-parties-negatively.md)