Donald Trump is off to a rough start in his second term. A new Fox News poll shows Trump’s approval rating at just 44% at the 100-day mark — the lowest for any president at this point in office.
Other national surveys also show a steep decline in support for Trump, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction with his leadership so early in his term.
“We’re not even 100 days in, and Trump is already at the ‘the polls are fake’ stage,” MSNBC’s Chris Hayes said during a recent segment, highlighting how Trump has reacted defensively to the grim polling data.
Trump’s anger toward the polling has even extended to him calling for Fox News to fire its own pollsters.
Trump’s Agenda Isn’t Winning People Over
Hayes pointed out that Trump is pushing a very unpopular agenda, hoping that the public won’t notice amid the constant flurry of activity coming out of Washington.
However, when the Trump administration announced plans to cut funding for the Women’s Health Initiative, a major public health study that has provided critical research into breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis, backlash was swift and strong.
The program, which costs only about $10 million a year and has saved countless lives and billions of dollars, was saved after the administration quickly reversed course within a day.
“We asked who exactly voted for this. Well, it turns out no, no one did,” Hayes said, crediting public outrage and media scrutiny for the reversal.
Approval Falling Across the Board
Even Trump’s supposed strong point, the economy, isn’t helping him this time. The Fox News poll found that 56% disapprove of his handling of the economy.
Another Reuters/Ipsos poll showed 57% disapprove of his work on the cost of living, and Pew Research shows 59% disapprove of his handling of tariffs.
Disapproval numbers that high on economic issues, traditionally a Republican strength, are a bad sign.
“Maybe you’ve noticed things are not cheaper. They are not,” Hayes said, pointing to Trump’s failed promises to cut costs for everyday Americans.
Instead of relief, a trade war and rising inflation have put additional strain on households.
It doesn’t stop there. Trump is slipping on immigration, too, despite focusing much of his agenda on the issue with tough rhetoric and policies.
Recent polls show him underwater by one to five points on immigration overall.
Even among voters concerned about border security, when asked about immigration as a whole, Trump’s approval drops significantly, suggesting his hardline stance may be backfiring with broader audiences.
Going After Civil Rights, Losing More Support
Trump has also signed an executive order targeting a key part of the Civil Rights Act, aiming to scrap the use of “disparate impact” theory.
This legal principle, which addresses practices that harm minority groups even if not overtly discriminatory, has been a bedrock of civil rights protections since the 1960s.
Hayes said Trump “seemed to have total command” when signing the order, but it was clear he was unfamiliar with it and needed briefing in real-time.
Public response has not been favorable. One Economist/YouGov poll shows half of Americans want Trump to reverse deportations of legally present immigrants he has targeted, and support for his attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is slipping fast.
Meanwhile, Trump’s move against disparate impact protections has stirred strong criticism from civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers, who argue the order dismantles decades of hard-fought progress.
Hayes pointed out that undermining such protections could alienate even moderate voters concerned with fairness and equality.
A Pattern That’s Hard to Ignore
Hayes argued that while Trump has strong marketing skills and knows how to sell an image, his record on governing continues to result in widespread unpopularity.
“It turns out people bought the packaging,” Hayes said. “But once again we’re all reminded the product inside sucks.”
Despite winning reelection, Trump’s low approval ratings suggest he faces major challenges ahead, both in terms of passing legislation and maintaining political momentum.
Hayes ended by warning that Trump’s strategy of intimidation and fear among Republicans in Washington might not protect him forever, especially as public frustration grows louder.
“Look at those numbers,” he said. “Look at where the country is.”