Donald Trump's approval rating is approximately 30%.

Posted by Deadline: White House, Sep 7, 2026Checked Nov 2, 2026

Polygraph verdictMixed

Sources: 2 contradict2 support1 context
Said: 1 time·
Confidence: 45%

Deadline: White HouseSep 7, 2026

The claim's direction is right, since sources show Trump's approval falling into the low 30s, but the sources do not measure approval on the claim's 2026-09-07 date. Polls near that period range from about 29% (American Research Group, Sept 16-20) to 35% (Reuters/Ipsos, the week before Sept 21), and averages were about 35% (FiftyPlusOne, Sept 25) to 39% (RealClearPolitics).

Minor detail. The sources confirm the claim; only a minor detail differs, such as a name's spelling, a title's wording or a rounding.

A guest makes this claim. Listeners heard it, so it counts against the post, and on the guest's own record.

This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.

What was said

… And I have never been to autocrat school, but I imagine one of the things they teach you in autocrat school is, you want to consolidate the power before you do unpopular things, and that way you're impervious to the political backlash. The problem for Donald Trump is he's now tipping just about 30%, maybe a little above, maybe soon a little bit below, in approval. And when you're at that level and you go and ask people around the country, even people on your own side, team, and party, to go stick their necks out for you, they're going to be a lot less likely to do so. …

Deadline: White House · Sep 7, 2026· from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Contradicts. The Reuters/Ipsos poll had approval at 35% in the week before its Sept 21 release, and the Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll showed 33%, so approval was not clearly near 30% around the claim date.[1][2]

Supports. Several individual polls show approval near 30% in the surrounding weeks, including ARG at 29% (Sept 16-20) and AP-NORC at 31% (Sept 24-28).[3][4]

Context. Poll averages were higher than 30%: FiftyPlusOne averaged 34.9% as of Sept 25 and RealClearPolitics averaged 38.9% as of Sept 24, so the claimed figure is below the aggregate picture.[3][5]

Context. The 30% Pew reading was fielded Sept 28-Oct 4, after the claim was posted on Sept 7, so it does not directly establish the approval level on the claim date.[4]

Sources

5 sources: 4 not rated, 1 rated low

1Poll: Trump's approval hits a new low of 33% as Republicans ...gelliottmorris.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
2Trump approval falls to career low of 32% as cost pressures weighbusinessday.ng · rated low for factual reporting by Iffy.news · cited for: contradicts
3Poll shows Trump with lowest approval amid fight over ...freep.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
4Trump's Approval Rating Reaches New Depths in Dismal Pew Pollmediaite.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
5Donald Trump approval ratings: Where they stand ahead of midtermsyahoo.com · not rated · cited for: context

Where this claim was made

Said in 1 published post

Deadline: White House · Sep 7, 2026Post →

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