Poll: Public support for Trump hits new low

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has slipped to its lowest level since returning to the White House, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, reflecting growing concern among Americans over his expanding authority and controversial actions.

The six-day survey, which concluded Monday, found that just 42% of respondents approve of Trump’s job performance, down one point from three weeks earlier and five points lower than his 47% approval rating shortly after his January 20 inauguration.

The drop comes amid a flurry of executive actions aimed at extending presidential control over U.S. institutions. Trump’s early moves — from targeting liberal universities with funding freezes to installing himself as board chair of the Kennedy Center — have rattled political opponents and unsettled moderates.

According to the poll, 83% of Americans believe the president must comply with federal court rulings even when he disagrees with them. That question comes as Trump administration officials face potential contempt charges for defying a court order halting deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

On education, 57% of respondents, including a third of Republicans, opposed the idea that the president should withhold funding from universities based on ideological disagreements. Trump recently froze over $2 billion in federal funds earmarked for Harvard University, accusing institutions of tolerating antisemitism and ideological extremism.

Meanwhile, 66% of Americans said they were uncomfortable with the president overseeing national cultural institutions like the Smithsonian, which Trump last month ordered to remove what he called “improper ideology.”

Trump continues to face disapproval across a wide array of policy areas, including immigration, inflation, taxation and the rule of law. Even on immigration — historically one of his stronger points — 46% disapproved of his approach, compared to 45% who approved.

The survey also revealed broader doubts about the country’s direction. Nearly 60% said the U.S. is losing credibility globally, including a third of Republicans. And 75% of respondents, including a slim majority of Republicans, said Trump should not attempt a third term — an idea he has publicly floated despite constitutional limits.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll included responses from 4,306 Americans and carries a margin of error of roughly 2 percentage points.

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