Voters' Ratings On Economy And Trump Dip, Trade And Russia - Ukraine War Weigh On Trump's Numbers, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Disapprove Of Trump's Handling Of Zelensky Meeting

Seven weeks after President Donald Trump began his second term in the Oval Office, 42 percent of voters approve of the way he is handling his job, while 53 percent disapprove and 6 percent did not offer an opinion, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

In Quinnipiac University's February 19 poll, 45 percent approved, while 49 percent disapproved and 6 percent did not offer an opinion and in Quinnipiac University's January 29 poll, 46 percent approved, while 43 percent disapproved and 11 percent did not offer an opinion.

In today's poll, Republicans (89 - 9 percent) approve of the job Trump is doing, while Democrats (96 - 2 percent) and independents (58 - 36 percent) disapprove.

"A noticeable uptick of discontent can be seen over President Trump's handling of a range of issues: from Ukraine to the economy to the federal workforce," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

Voters were asked about Trump's handling of several issues:

• trade with China: 46 percent approve, 44 percent disapprove, with 10 percent not offering an opinion;
• immigration issues: 46 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• foreign policy: 42 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• the military: 41 percent approve, 48 percent disapprove, with 11 percent not offering an opinion;
• the economy: 41 percent approve, 54 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• the federal workforce: 40 percent approve, 55 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
• the Russia - Ukraine war: 38 percent approve, 55 percent disapprove, with 7 percent not offering an opinion;
• the Israel - Hamas conflict: 37 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 14 percent not offering an opinion;
• trade with Mexico: 37 percent approve, 56 percent disapprove, with 7 percent not offering an opinion;
• trade with Canada: 36 percent approve, 58 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion.

ECONOMY

Voters' views on the economy have dipped and are now at levels last seen in May 2023.

Twenty-three percent of voters describe the state of the nation's economy these days as either excellent (1 percent) or good (22 percent), and 76 percent describe it as either not so good (45 percent) or poor (31 percent).

This is a change from Quinnipiac University's December 2024 poll when 34 percent described it as either excellent (3 percent) or good (31 percent) and 64 percent described it as either not so good (31 percent) or poor (33 percent).

There is an increase in the number of voters saying the economy is the most urgent issue facing the country today. Given a list of nine issues and asked which is the most urgent one facing the country today, the economy (30 percent) tops the list, followed by preserving democracy in the United States (25 percent), with immigration also in double digits (12 percent).

This is a change from Quinnipiac University's January 2025 poll when 24 percent of voters said the economy was the most urgent issue, followed by preserving democracy in the United States (20 percent) and immigration (18 percent).

ELON MUSK & DOGE

Sixty percent of voters disapprove of the way Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, while 36 percent approve.

There is a wide partisan divide.

Republicans (77 - 16 percent) approve, while Democrats (96 - 2 percent) and independents (68 - 28 percent) disapprove.

Fifty-four percent of voters think Elon Musk and DOGE are hurting the country, while 40 percent think they are helping the country.

JOB APPROVALS

Job approval ratings:

• Vice President J.D. Vance: 41 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 10 percent not offering an opinion;
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio: 39 percent approve, 40 percent disapprove, with 21 percent not offering an opinion;
• Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 38 percent approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 13 percent not offering an opinion.

CONGRESS

A majority of voters believe both Democrats and Republicans in Congress put party over country rather than country over party.

Sixty-six percent of voters believe Democrats in Congress put party over country, while 29 percent believe they put country over party.

Sixty-four percent of voters believe Republicans in Congress put party over country, while 32 percent believe they put country over party.

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Congress must pass a new spending bill in order to prevent a government shutdown, which then must be signed by President Trump.

If a government shutdown does occur, 32 percent of voters say they would blame Democrats in Congress the most, 31 percent say they would blame Republicans in Congress the most, 22 percent say they would blame President Trump the most, and 15 percent did not offer an opinion.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Voters 60 - 33 percent oppose President Trump's plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.

Democrats (98 - 1 percent) and independents (64 - 31 percent) oppose the plan, while Republicans (67 - 18 percent) support the plan.

RUSSIA - UKRAINE WAR

Eighty-four percent of voters say they are following news about the Russia - Ukraine war either very closely (39 percent) or somewhat closely (45 percent), while 16 percent say they are following it not too closely.

Fifty-eight percent of voters disapprove of the way President Trump handled the recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, while 35 percent approve.

There is a large partisan divide.

Democrats (95 - 2 percent) and independents (68 - 26 percent) disapprove of the way Trump handled the meeting with Zelensky, while Republicans (77 - 15 percent) approve.

Voters 56 - 39 percent disapprove of the United States pausing all military aid to Ukraine.

Democrats (91 - 5 percent) and independents (57 - 40 percent) disapprove of the United States pausing all military aid to Ukraine, while Republicans (70 - 24 percent) approve.

More than 6 in 10 voters (62 percent) think supporting Ukraine is in the national interest of the United States, while 29 percent think it is not in the national interest of the United States.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's May 2024 poll when 65 percent of voters thought supporting Ukraine was in the national interest of the United States, while 29 percent thought it was not in the national interest of the United States.

When voters were asked which country comes closer to sharing the values of the United States, 65 percent think Ukraine, while 9 percent think Russia and 26 percent did not offer an opinion.

Roughly 6 in 10 voters (61 percent) think President Trump is not tough enough on Russia, while 31 percent think his attitude towards Russia is about right, and 2 percent think he is too tough on Russia.

Half of voters (50 percent) think President Trump is too tough on Ukraine, while 35 percent think his attitude towards Ukraine is about right, and 8 percent think he is not tough enough on Ukraine.

Seven percent of voters have a favorable opinion of Vladimir Putin, while 81 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him, and 9 percent haven't heard enough about him.

Forty-three percent of voters have a favorable opinion of Volodymyr Zelensky, while 33 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him, and 22 percent haven't heard enough about him.

CANADA

More than half of voters (55 percent) think President Trump is too tough on Canada, while 31 percent think his attitude towards Canada is about right, and 6 percent think he is not tough enough on Canada.

"Icy exchanges on tariffs chill a longstanding friendship and voters make it clear they feel that's no way to treat our neighbors to the north," added Malloy.

U.S. GLOBAL POSITION

Half of voters (50 percent) think the United States' position as the leader of the free world is intact, while 39 percent think the United States' position as the leader of the free world is over.

Republicans (86 - 7 percent) think the United States' position as the leader of the free world is intact, while Democrats (69 - 22 percent) think it is over. Forty-eight percent of independents think it is intact, while 41 percent think it is over.

MEASLES OUTBREAK

Roughly 7 out of 10 voters (69 percent) are either very concerned (36 percent) or somewhat concerned (33 percent) about the measles outbreak that has spread to multiple states, while 29 percent are either not so concerned (15 percent) or not concerned at all (14 percent).

More than half of voters (57 percent) think that children who have not received standard vaccinations should not be allowed to attend schools and childcare facilities, while 35 percent think that children who have not received standard vaccinations should be allowed to attend schools and childcare facilities.

This compares to Quinnipiac University's March 2015 poll when 70 percent of voters thought children who have not received standard vaccinations should not be allowed to attend schools and childcare facilities, while 23 percent thought children who have not received standard vaccinations should be allowed to attend schools and childcare facilities.

"There is palpable worry over the spread of measles and opposition to allowing students to come to school without having been vaccinated. But concerned or not, there is a big shift from a decade ago when voters were not as willing to open the classroom doors," added Malloy.

1,198 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from March 6th - 10th with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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