President Donald Trump's standing among white voters improved sharply in the latest poll from Marquette Law School, reversing a significant deficit that was recorded in a poll conducted just weeks earlier.
The latest poll, conducted between July 22 and 27 with 639 white respondents, found 51 percent of white voters surveyed approved of the way Trump is handling his job as president, while 49 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of +2.
It marks a dramatic turnaround from the pollster's June findings, which suggested that Trump’s net approval rating among white voters was significantly underwater at -12. The poll, conducted between June 9 and 15 among 903 white respondents, found just 44 percent of white voters approved of Trump’s job performance, while 56 percent disapproved.
It comes after other recent polls showed Trump’s standing among white voters had fallen sharply amid concerns about the economy, inflation and the war with Iran.
Why It Matters
White voters make up a bulk of the voting electorate in the United States and have been central to Trump’s political success for more than a decade. Any erosion in support could spell trouble for Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The president’s party typically loses seats during midterm elections. With control of Congress at stake in November, even small shifts in support could have significant consequences.
If the bloc casts ballots for Democrats or stays home because of dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s policies, that may not bode well for Republicans’ efforts to retain control of the House and Senate for the remainder of Trump’s second term.
Other Polls Show Trump's Support From White Voters Slipping
A CNN poll released in July found Trump’s net approval rating among white voters at -20, the lowest level recorded during his presidency. That poll was conducted by SSRS from July 23 to July 27 among a random national sample of 1,225 U.S. adults.
The 1600
CNN's polls have shown a decline in Trump’s standing with white voters over the past year.
His net approval rating with white voters was even in July 2025, slipped underwater to -7 by October, improved slightly to -5 in January 2026 before falling sharply to -10 in February and -12 in March. After briefly returning to even in April, it fell to -20 in July.
The poll also found signs of eroding support among Republicans. It found 78 percent of Republicans approve of Trump, the lowest level recorded during his time in office, while only 19 percent said they were enthusiastic for the rest of his time in office.
The Economist/YouGov polls have also shown Trump’s support steadily slipping among white voters, including white voters without a college degree—a group that has long been the cornerstone of his base of support—since the start of this second term.
The latest survey, conducted between July 25 and 27, found Trump’s net approval rating among white voters was -14, and -6 among white voters without a college degree. In February last year, Trump’s net approval rating among white voters was +14, and +27 among white voters without a college degree.
Polling Expert Suggests Caution
Costas Panagopoulos, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, cautioned against reading too much into the findings of the latest Marquette Law School poll.
“Most polls suggest Trump approval dropped overtime this period among white voters, to historic lows, perhaps in part due to economic anxiety and concerns about Iran and trade,” he told Newsweek.
"This poll could be an outlier or the shift could reflect differences in methodology or sample characteristics. Views rarely shift this dramatically over such a limited time frame.”
His assessment highlights that polling results can fluctuate because of sampling variation, differences in weighting, the wording of questions and the makeup of respondents interviewed during a particular period.
What the White House Says
The White House has repeatedly dismissed the president’s low approval ratings, and pointed to Trump’s 2024 election victory as the clearest measure of public support.
In response to inquiries about polling, White House spokesman Davis Ingle previously told Newsweek that the Americans who voted for Trump gave him a mandate to “deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda.”
Ingle said in a statement to Newsweek on Friday: "No other President in history has accomplished more for the American people than President Trump, who is working tirelessly to create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability, and more.
"The President has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world, and this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect."
What Happens Next
White voters have been a crucial part of Trump's coalition since his 2016 election win and have generally given him stronger ratings than the country as a whole.
But with the president’s overall approval ratings at a record low and several polls showing support among white voters slipping, whether Trump’s standing among the crucial bloc improves or worsens could prove consequential in November’s midterm elections.
For more analysis on the numbers shaping U.S. politics and the 2026 midterms, sign up for Newsweek’s Midterms Monitor newsletter from Daniel Orton and Alex J. Rouhandeh.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Sam Wilson.
Conversation
Start a discussion, not a fire. Post with kindness. Read our guidelines here
All Comments