Just over halfway through May, President Donald Trump'sapproval ratings are dipping once again.
USA TODAYrecently reported on the president's approval ratings as found by a New York Times/Siena University poll published May 18; the survey showed that his approval rating had dipped to a "new term low," with just 37% approving of his job performance in the poll conducted May 11-15 among 1,507 registered voters.
The low numbers come amidst the ongoing Iran war, with USA TODAY reports noting that 64% of respondents indicated they believed Trump made the wrong decision in going to war with Iran. Other recent headlines involving the president saw Trump and his familydropping a lawsuit seeking $10 billionfrom the IRS for not preventing a contractor from disclosing his tax returns to the media, adrone strike on a nuclear power plantin the United Arab Emiratesand more.
Here's what to know about other recent approval polls around the president, plus numbers straight from North Carolina on approval for Trump and Gov. Josh Stein.
What is Donald Trump's approval rating now in May 2026?
Recent polls found the following on Trump's approval rating:
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Most recent polls from The New York Times/Siena University surveyed 1,507 adults and showed a +22 increase in disapproval with a 37% approval rating and 59% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from Ipsos with Reuters surveyed 1,254 adults and showed a +27 increase in disapproval with a 36% approval rating and 63% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from AtlasIntel surveyed 2,069 adults and showed a +20 increase in disapproval with a 40% approval rating and 60% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from CNN/SSRS surveyed 1,499 adults and showed a +30 increase in disapproval with a 35% approval rating and 65% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from Marist University with NPR and PBS News surveyed 1,322 adults and showed a +22 increase in disapproval with a 37% approval rating and 59% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from Pew Research Center surveyed 5,026 adults and showed a +30 increase in disapproval with a 34% approval rating and 64% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from Emerson College surveyed 1,000 adults and showed a +16 increase in disapproval with a 40% approval rating and 56% disapproval rating.
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Most recent polls from AP-NORC surveyed 2,596 adults and showed a +34 increase in disapproval with a 33% approval rating and 67% disapproval rating.
What is Trump's approval rating in North Carolina?
AMay 18 studyfrom Carolina Forward collected data from 957 likely general election voters in North Carolina from May 4-8. The study found that Trump's popularity had continued to sink in the Tar Heel State since the organization's January poll; in January, his approval rating was 46% and his disapproval rating was 52%, while his May ratings were at43% approvaland55% disapproval.
What is N.C. Gov. Josh Stein's approval rating?
TheCarolina Forward studyalso called Gov. Josh Stein "by almost any measure, the most popular figure in North Carolina politics in recent memory," and noted that his popularity was only continuing to trend upward. The survey found that his net approval climbed from 49% approval and 36% disapproval in January to51% approvaland35% disapprovalin May.
How does Trump's approval rating compare with his first term?
According to results from now-defunct polling website FiveThirtyEight, Trump had a final approval rating of34%when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was41%.
How does Trump's approval rating compare with past presidents?
Data compiled byUSA TODAYfound the following:
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Joe Biden - 40%
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Donald Trump (first term) - 34%
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Barack Obama - 59%
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George W. Bush - 34%
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Bill Clinton - 66%
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George H.W. Bush - 56%
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Ronald Reagan - 63%
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Jimmy Carter - 34%
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Gerald Ford - 53%
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Richard Nixon - 24%
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times:Trump's approval rating for May 2026. See latest NC, US polls