Public support for President Donald Trump has continued to decline across both South Carolina and the broader United States, according to an array of recent surveys compiled in early September 2026. With the pivotal 2026 midterm elections drawing closer, the updated polling numbers paint a challenging political landscape for the administration, revealing double-digit deficits in net public approval across multiple respected national research outlets.
The newly released data indicates that voter dissatisfaction has become widespread, with disapproval ratings consistently outstripping approval figures by substantial margins. Across seven major independent surveys, Trump’s job approval marks range from a low of 30 percent to a peak of 40 percent, while disapproval metrics consistently hover between 56 percent and 66 percent.
Among the surveys providing relatively higher marks for the president were Emerson College and Marquette University Law School, though both still found majorities expressing negative views of his performance. The Emerson College survey, which gathered responses from 1,000 adults, recorded a 40 percent approval rating alongside a 56 percent disapproval rating, resulting in a net rating of minus 16 percentage points.
Similarly, Marquette University Law School surveyed 1,076 adults nationwide and observed an identical 40 percent approval rating. However, Marquette measured Trump's disapproval at 60 percent, yielding a net negative score of 20 points. Survey findings indicate that voter frustration remains heavily fueled by economic anxieties, with inflation and household cost-of-living concerns standing out as the foremost priorities influencing respondents' views.
Further down the spectrum, several other prominent national polls demonstrated even wider deficits. A joint survey conducted by Ipsos and Reuters involving 1,167 adult participants found that only 33 percent of respondents approved of the president's job performance, compared to 63 percent who voiced disapproval, translating to a net approval standing of minus 30 percentage points.
CNN and SSRS revealed comparable figures in their survey of 1,225 adults. That poll registered Trump's approval at 34 percent, while finding that two-thirds of respondents—66 percent—disapproved of his governance, producing a net approval deficit of minus 32 percentage points as midterms approach.
The survey conducted by AP-NORC, which sampled 1,165 adults, likewise placed approval at 33 percent against a 66 percent disapproval rate, marking a net evaluation of minus 33 points. The findings coincide with heightened public scrutiny over international foreign policy, including military tensions and strikes involving Iran, which broad segments of the public view critically.
The steepest deficit recorded in the latest wave of polling came from the American Research Group. In its survey of 1,100 adults, the organization found that just 30 percent expressed approval of the administration’s handling of the presidency, while 66 percent expressed disapproval, leaving Trump with a net rating of minus 36 percentage points.
Quinnipiac University’s recent poll mirrored the broader trend, surveying 963 adults and recording an approval mark of 32 percent against a 58 percent disapproval rating. This produced a net negative rating of 26 points, reinforcing the pattern of significant public discontent identified by other polling institutions.
The sliding numbers come at a sensitive time for the Republican Party as it seeks to defend congressional seats and navigate contested midterm campaigns. While midterm cycles historically present headwinds for the sitting president's party, persistent negative sentiment can significantly complicate down-ballot races and alter voter mobilization efforts across battleground regions.
The downward trajectory in voter sentiment has also been felt in South Carolina, a state where Trump has maintained a visible presence to bolster local allies. In late August, the president traveled to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center to appear alongside U.S. Sen. Darline Graham at a high-profile campaign gathering on Friday, August 21.
The race in South Carolina has drawn intense regional attention as candidates position themselves for the autumn contests. Following the Myrtle Beach rally, members of the press and campaign supporters gathered on Tuesday, August 25, at the Willoughby, Humphrey and D’Antonio Law Firm Building in Columbia for an election night watch event honoring Graham’s candidacy.
Despite the administration's active campaigning in the state, signs of division within the Republican apparatus have surfaced. Notably, Representative Ralph Norman recently refrained from committing to campaign on behalf of Graham, underscoring emerging strategic calculations among party members as public opinion metrics continue to shift.
Beyond South Carolina, voters nationwide continue to cite day-to-day pocketbook pressures as critical factors shaping their view of executive leadership. Elevated fuel prices over the Labor Day holiday weekend and persistent cost pressures have kept the economy front and center in the national political dialogue.
With the 2026 midterm election season entering its most critical phase, the accumulation of negative approval marks presents an ongoing obstacle for the White House. As both political parties adjust their strategies heading into the fall, public response to inflation, energy costs, and foreign developments will likely determine whether the administration can reverse its current polling decline.
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