Falling approval ratings, concerns over affordability, and backlash against immigration enforcement policies are fueling uncertainty within GOP ranks against President Trump.
BY PC Bureau
February 1, 2026: President Donald Trump is facing early warning signs of political vulnerability, even within his traditionally loyal Republican base, as new national polling reveals declining approval ratings, shrinking support for his policy agenda, and rising frustration over economic conditions and immigration enforcement.
A Pew Research Center survey released January 29 shows Trump’s overall approval rating at 37%, down three percentage points since fall 2025. More striking, however, is the erosion of confidence among Republican voters, who have long formed the backbone of Trump’s political strength.
The poll finds that only 27% of U.S. adults now support Trump’s policy prescriptions, a steep decline from 35% recorded shortly after his return to the White House last year. By a two-to-one margin, Americans say the administration’s actions have made the country worse off, rather than better.
Trump is in freefall! He is losing Republicans too.
Pew Research finds his approval hit a new low,
37% approve, 61% disapprove
but only 73% of Republicans approve now, a new low.Republicans have also lost confidence in Trump’s mental fitness, respect for democratic values,… pic.twitter.com/eLXRMw1Fze
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) January 29, 2026
Cracks in the GOP Base
What alarms Republican strategists most is where the decline is occurring. Pew researchers note that the drop is driven almost entirely by dissatisfaction among Trump’s own supporters.
In early 2025, following his decisive election victory over Democrats, 67% of Republicans said they supported all or most of Trump’s agenda. That figure has now fallen to 56%, signaling fractures in the once-solid populist coalition that powered his political resurgence.
Trump’s approval among Republicans now stands at 73%, down several points from September — a significant slide for a president who previously maintained near-uniform loyalty within his party.
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Economy and Immigration Fuel Discontent
Over the past two months, Trump has embarked on an aggressive nationwide tour, touting economic recovery and renewed prosperity, while also defending his administration’s controversial immigration enforcement campaign, which has triggered widespread protests and civil unrest in multiple cities.
Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are seizing on voter unease, arguing that Trump has failed to deliver on his central economic promise: affordability.
“Families are still struggling,” Schumer said this week. “The cost of housing, healthcare, and groceries remains painfully high, despite repeated promises of rapid improvement.”
During a January 29 Cabinet meeting, Trump attempted to reassure Americans, unveiling new affordability initiatives, including a January 20 executive order barring Wall Street firms from purchasing single-family homes.
“We’re going to make it easier to buy,” Trump said. “We’re going to get interest rates down. But I also want to protect people who, for the first time in their lives, feel like they’re succeeding.”
Yet polling suggests these measures have failed to stem voter frustration, particularly among conservatives who expected faster economic gains.
Congressional Republicans Begin to Distance Themselves
The waning support appears to be emboldening some congressional Republicans, especially those positioning themselves for political life beyond Trump’s presidency.
Over the past year, GOP lawmakers have increasingly broken ranks on issues ranging from the controversial release of classified files linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to intense scrutiny over the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minnesota.
The Pew poll indicates a shift in Republican attitudes toward party discipline, with only 38% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents saying congressional leaders have an obligation to support Trump’s policies, reflecting growing ideological and strategic distance between the White House and Capitol Hill.
2026 Midterms Loom Large
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, political analysts say the emerging cracks in Republican unity could have significant electoral consequences.
“Trump’s strength has always been loyalty,” said one veteran GOP strategist. “If that loyalty weakens, even slightly, it reshapes the entire political battlefield.”
Democrats believe the trend could open a pathway to retake congressional ground, particularly in suburban districts where economic anxiety and fatigue over political turbulence remain high.
For now, Trump continues to project confidence. But polling trends suggest a presidency increasingly under strain — not just from opponents, but from within his own base.
