US President Donald Trump dismissed reports of a decline in his popularity and claimed that the poll results allegedly do not reflect his actual level of support. In an interview with TIME, recorded on 28 September and published on 1 October, Trump called the low figures «fake», accused pollsters of corruption and claimed that in a hypothetical election he would currently be 20 points ahead of any opponent. Meanwhile, the latest Economist/YouGov poll showed 36% approval of his performance among registered voters, compared with 62% disapproval — a net rating of minus 26 points.
- Trump described his low approval ratings as «fake».
- He accused the pollsters of corruption and claimed that he would have beaten any opponent by 20 points.
- The latest Economist/YouGov poll shows a 36% approval rating for his work.
- 62% of the registered voters surveyed do not approve of the President’s performance.
- Trump’s net approval rating stands at minus 26 points.
What Trump told *TIME*
During the conversation, TIME journalists noted that Trump regarding his poor performance in the polls. In response, the president claimed that these figures were false and that the pollsters themselves were «corrupt». He also said that, in his estimation, if the election were held now, he would defeat any candidate by a margin of 20 points.
Trump referred to his long-standing pollster John McLaughlin, stating that the latter had told him of a significantly higher level of support. At the same time, the president clarified that he would not be standing in the next election, and that his statement regarding the 20 points was a hypothetical assessment rather than the result of a specific, published nationwide poll.
What the latest Economist/YouGov poll reveals
The most recent Economist/YouGov poll at the time of publication was carried out by 25–28 September 2026 among 1,429 registered American voters. Trump’s performance as president was approved by 36%, whereas 62% stated that they did not approve of it. A further 2% remain undecided. This gives a net approval rating of –26 points.
Of those who view the President’s work positively, 18% expressed strong approval and a further 18% expressed moderate approval. Among the critics, 51% chose the option «I strongly disapprove», whilst a further 11% chose «I rather disapprove».
The survey has a margin of error of approximately ±3.4 percentage points for a sample of registered voters. YouGov reports that the results were weighted by age, gender, ethnicity, education, region, party affiliation and voter behaviour in previous presidential elections.
The 35% figure was included in previous surveys
Figures 35% – approval and 61% – rejection, which also featured in recent reports on Trump’s approval rating, related to an earlier Economist/YouGov poll in August. At that time, the president’s net approval rating also stood at minus 26 points.
In August, the figures fell even further: a poll conducted between 8 and 11 August showed Trump with 33% in favour and 62% against — a net result of minus 29 points. YouGov described this as the lowest figure recorded in its polls across both of Trump’s presidential terms.
In other words, the approval rating fluctuates from poll to poll, but over the last few months the proportion of those who disapprove of the President’s performance has consistently exceeded the proportion of those who approve of it.
Approval ratings and election results are different indicators
Trump’s claim of a possible 20-point lead cannot be directly compared with his approval rating. The Economist/YouGov poll asked voters whether they were satisfied with his performance as president, rather than conducting a hypothetical vote pitting Trump against a specific candidate.
Therefore, the figures of 36% versus 62% do not constitute a prediction of the outcome of the presidential election. At the same time, they reflect the current assessment of Trump’s performance amongst registered voters and do not support his claim of a 20-point lead over any potential rival.
