Sweeping new poll spells trouble for Trump as nation expresses 'sour mood'

A sweeping new poll seen as a “reliable pre-election barometer” finds majorities of Americans deeply unhappy with the nation’s course and increasingly describing President Donald Trump as a “dangerous dictator.”

“The survey offers a snapshot of the nation’s sour mood just more than a year before the 2026 midterms — and suggests that anger could rewire political alliances and test the durability of Trump’s support,” Axios reported.

PRRI, the Public Religion Research Institute, found that six in ten Americans (62%) see the country headed in the wrong direction. That includes strong majorities of Democrats (92%) and independents (71%), as well as nearly one in four Republicans (24%).

On how the president is doing his job, well over half of Americans (56%) disapprove. But nearly nine in ten Republicans (86%) approve, as do 32% of independents, and just 8% of Democrats. Overall, Trump has a 58% unfavorable rating, and a 40% favorable rating.

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The negative perceptions of the president appear to run even deeper.

“A majority of Americans agree ‘President Trump is a dangerous dictator whose power should be limited before he destroys American democracy’ (56%), up from 52% in March 2025, compared with 41% who agree ‘President Trump is a strong leader who should be given the power he needs to restore America’s greatness.'”

Additionally, PRRI found that most Americans “agree with the statement ‘What President Trump is doing to the federal government is an assault on constitutional checks and balances and the rule of law’ (54%), compared with 43% who agree with the statement ‘What President Trump is doing to the federal government is a long-overdue correction of disastrous policies pushed by elites at the expense of ordinary Americans.'”

Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) are dissatisfied with the economy and how the federal government is functioning. That includes nine in ten Democrats, and nearly three in ten Republicans.

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When asked about how the federal government is handling undocumented immigrants, 57% disapprove, including 89% of Democrats and 18% of Republicans.

The survey also found that majorities “say that the cuts in federal funding of health care programs (60%) and universities and research institutions (55%), the implementation of new tariffs on imported goods (54%), and the increase in funding for ICE to speed up efforts to arrest, detain, and deport undocumented immigrants (52%) have gone too far, though partisan differences are stark, with Democrats being far more likely to say such changes have gone too far.”

PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman told Axios that it “looks like political independents are very unhappy with Trump’s actions,” with “close to two-thirds on many indicators saying the administration has gone too far in its policies.”

She added: “That’s a warning sign for the GOP ahead of the midterms.”