this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2026
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As President Donald Trump wraps up the first year of his second term—one marked by US aggression abroad and rising political violence at home—a wave of new polls released this week shows him and his policies at remarkably high, and in some cases record, levels of unpopularity. Across nearly every major measure, Trump is generating more backlash than loyalty, deepening distrust as his personal standing continues to slide.

A new CNN poll released Friday found that nearly 60 percent of Americans describe Trump’s first year back in office as a failure. Trump is faltering even on issues that have historically been his strongest, like the economy. A majority of Americans (55 percent) say he has made the economy worse, while just 36 percent believe he has focused on the right priorities—a nine-point drop since the start of his term. CNN also found Trump’s overall job approval rating languishing at 39 percent, down from 48 percent last February. A clear majority say he has gone too far in using presidential power. You can read the full results here.

CNN’s numbers are not outliers. A new Associated Press–NORC poll, released on Thursday, shows erosion even within Trump’s own party. Only 16 percent of Republicans say the president has helped “a lot” with the cost of living, down sharply from 49 percent in April 2024. Trump’s approval on immigration—still one of his strongest issues among Republicans—has slipped as well, falling from 88 percent in March to 76 percent in the latest survey. Overall, just 38 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, a marked decline, while 61 percent disapprove. Across the poll, voters say Trump is focused on the wrong priorities, abusing power, hurting the economy, and leaving the country worse off. The survey marked his lowest approval ratings on the economy reported by AP pollsters during both stints in the White House.

Other surveys this week echoed the same themes. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump deeply underwater overall, with 58 percent disapproving of his job performance and just 36 percent approving of his handling of the economy. The poll also found overwhelming opposition to Trump’s foreign adventurism, with 71 percent saying the use of military force against Greenland would be a bad idea. Meanwhile, a Marist poll released Friday found that 56 percent of Americans oppose the United States taking military action in Venezuela.

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[–] theMacerena@lemmings.world 71 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I can't see it making a difference, they will still vote red no matter who.

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 24 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Biden won in 2020 because of this. It does make a difference.

[–] Skiluros@sh.itjust.works 11 points 3 weeks ago

From what I remember Biden won with a small margin in 2020 (I remember messaging my American friend about this before the votes were fully tallied).

Trump is a symptom, the cause is American society (not only the far right, much of the centre-right voting public too).

[–] hector@lemmy.today 3 points 3 weeks ago

With these dems nazis overthrowing representative government in all but name is an inevitability.

With popular reform we could take it from them.

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[–] Cosmonauticus@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Better red than dead, living in poverty, in a police state, with no rights, and no checks and balances

[–] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 weeks ago

Some people will, but not enough for him to hold power. Trump wasn't elected by MAGA, he was elected by the people who couldn't afford to live, but were being told by the Democratic party that everything was fine. Including more gen z than we'd like to admit.

Now trump is trying the same strategy, and he knows that come midterms, all those same constituents are going to vote against him. That's why he's been pulling out all the stops to prop up the economy for another year. He doesn't care if it means 15%+ inflation, as long as people don't blame him for a tanked stock market.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 58 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

He doesn't care. He doesn't need anyone's votes anymore.

[–] metallic_substance@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm betting he'll be dead from a heart issue or stroke before any of it matters and we'll be dealing with the next (possibly worse) Nazi scumbag that wheels in to replace him

[–] WizardofFrobozz@lemmy.ca 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

A quarter of your country is Nazis scumbags. Start dealing with them now.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

And what would you suggest be done? Because the quickest and easiest way I have thought of is to cripple or dissolve the various conservative propaganda networks be them radio, TV, or online and to be dissolve Facebook and twitter before beating Musk and Zuck to death with 2x4s while calling them alurs.

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[–] echo@lemmings.world 37 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

He doesn't give a fuck. He already has the power he wants and he'll never give it away. He only leaves that office in a body-bag.

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yep. I foresee cancelling of the midterms, then seeing the fallout from that.
If they are allowed to ride that out (which in today's lazy and complacent ways, they will) then that's it. Dictator for life.

After that they've got time to get one of its idiot children ready to step up when the obese child rapist finally dies (and Satan refuses the orange thing entry to hell for being too disgusting.)

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yep. I foresee cancelling of the midterms, then seeing the fallout from that.

I foresee elections happening, but ice kidnapping people waiting in line to vote.

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 weeks ago

Very possible.
Scaring people from voting in person is deffo a dictator-ish thing to do.

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 33 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Schumer is alllllmost ready to write that strongly worded letter. He can practically taste the envelope glue.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I hope the door hits him in the ass as he is leaving.

[–] MantisToboggon@lemmy.world 28 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

They have been saying that since 2016.

[–] CaliforniaSober@lemmy.ca 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Who cares? Unless republican voters suddenly discover morality Trump doesn’t matter. Disapproval of a single person like Trump is immune to the republican voter block. Conservative Americans ensure the worst of the world… you won’t see meaningful change until you address that group.

Nazi party in America means America is a Nazi country. Get specific with the cure.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 3 points 3 weeks ago

Yup, having this demented old bitch in charge has given us chances to stop the fascists, time and again.

We have not taken tnem because we chose the enemy of the working class to run the opposition, still playing good cop to republican bad as if r's were not openly playing hitler after cryptically playing for a half century.

2020 was the big chance, squandered, we got shouted down for popular reform, freeing captured agencies, everything. D's threw the election, worst performance yet, and they are still in charge, passing the buck, blaming us for demanding a new deal and popular reform. If only we believed harder.

We could stop them in 2028, perhaps our last chance before they are fixed in completely as states fall like dominoes to get permafixed by the party under their new, in all liklihood more capable, nazi leadership. Mean and nazi being prerequisites, along with total submission to Israel somehow being the most important thing. But not with these democrats, they learned nothing.

Where are all the white true populists? Killed in the cradle. Any ambition stamped out by dems as well, no doubt aided by conservatives to ensure beatable competition. We need wholesale populist candidates yet we follow the ivy league dem leadership into the abyss. Leadership soon to face false vote rigging indictments before the 28 election I bet.

[–] paperazzi@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago

Story of his life. Everyone hates him because he lies, steals, sues people into oblivion and threatens them. Somehow that's helped him fail upwards. Lather, rinse, repeat, constantly moving onto bigger targets. He will never, ever stop until his body quits, and he always has hordes of enablers to ensure he extracts what he wants from his next victim. He is evil incarnate.

[–] TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I hope that translates into something meaningful happening in the midterms. Of course, even if the election does end up being a big rebuke of Trump, that will hardly bring an end to the conflict. We're probably only just getting started.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I like your optimism. Midterms. LOL. I hope your right.

[–] Keilik@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Even Russia holds elections. We just have to make sure it’s fair and people are held accountable.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh you call those elections huh?

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[–] Hapankaali@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Those are laudable goals, but the appetite for democratic reforms currently seems rather anaemic in the US.

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[–] prototact@lemmy.zip 18 points 3 weeks ago

Given the unprecedented abuse of power and overwhelming evidence of corruption, the fact he still has that much approval only serves to show how deeply flawed is the distribution of power in the US.

Big corpo lobbying paved the way for this brand of extremist cronyism that provides for the biggest players willing to grease the president directly, even circumventing the legislative bodies.

I bet relatively smaller players are as flabbergasted as reasonable people and left-wing people. But this is what happens after decades of big shareholders being able to shape politics.

[–] Janx@piefed.social 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh? Are a bunch of racist boomers dying? I genuinely hope so...

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[–] Pacattack57@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Of all the things that start chipping away at his base, immigration was my last choice. I though convicted felon/rapist would do it.

[–] ThisGuyThat@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

They will still vote for him.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The fact that there are still 35-40% of voters who still think he's doing a good job is wild. As is the fact that no matter what he does that number will never change.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 3 points 3 weeks ago

They live in a media ecosystem, in an alternate reality.

We do too to different degrees and that enabled them to win to be clear. We know these dems with this status quo platforms will not win reliably, do nothing if they do.

But that is the safe choice, choice, choice (echo.) Yes clearly americans want to be fucked by the rich without consent, but with govt lube subsidies and more crumbs to victims. Instead of a new deal. /s

[–] anon_8675309@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

Wow. A lot of people still can’t admit they were wrong.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 11 points 3 weeks ago

And it doesn’t matter a single bit.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Across the board" - except there's still a solid 36% who still back him. "One third of your country is willing to murder another third of your country, while the last third stands aside and watches."

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[–] tal@lemmy.today 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

The thing is mostly that, while unpopularity does have an impact, that impact is probably going to be somewhat bounded regarding the Trump administration.

Trump cannot be voted out in the midterms, and the US does not have snap elections the way parliamentary systems do, so absent him dying in office or otherwise becoming incapacitated, he will probably be around for the rest of his term.

In general, the popularity (or lack thereof) of the President affects turnout and how people vote for legislative representatives in the midterm elections.

For the Trump administration, there are a couple of major inflection points that I'm aware of.

  • Democrats take control of the House in the midterm elections. I would guess that at this point, this is most-likely going to happen, and most of what I've read

including from the Republican side of the aisle


agrees with this. The major impact of this will be that Democrats will be able to initiate Congressional inquiries and demand that the Executive turn over a lot of information about its activities. As I recall reading, the Trump administration specifically directed its the Executive not to respond to requests for information from Congressional representatives in anything other than situations where they were legally bound to do so, which I understand breaks with convention. Basically, the way this works is that a simple majority has to start an inquiry, and put people in front of the House, and then representatives from both sides of the aisle are allowed to require them to testify. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican senator who has been critical of Trump, had some comment a while back about how the only way she found out about things was in the news, so I expect that Republican legislators probably aren't getting much information either. I'd assume that the Democrats will use this both the present the administration in a negative light, and to turn up information damaging to the administration. It will let the Democrats block legislation that they don't like, though I'd assume that there will be an effort to pass any legislation that they might block and that the administration wants in the first half of the term. If they find that Trump has broken the law, they can impeach Trump, but this has limited impact (other than acting as condemnation of Trump) unless they can get a two-thirds supermajority in the Senate to convict and remove him from office; this would require a number of Republican senators to agree that he needs to be out of office, and I'm skeptical that this will happen unless there is material that comes out that is considerably more damning than anything thus far.

  • Democrats take control of the Senate in the midterm elections. What I've read is that this is possible, but unlikely. Nate Silver had an article some time back talking about how is was more-likely than one might expect (generally, the Republicans have an advantage in the Senate, as they dominate in more low-population states), and I've seen several other articles saying that while odds are they will not, it is a real possibility, not to be dismissed. I don't know, off the cuff, what impact this will have. It would permit Democrats to block Trump's nominations for people if he dismisses them, which might give cabinet members considerably more ability to disagree with him, if they want to do so. I don't know of anything that a simple majority in both House and Senate buys the Democrats. It'd let them pass legislation that Trump disagrees with in Congress, but Trump can veto it; overriding a veto would require a two-thirds supermajority in both houses.

The US has weak party discipline; legislators are less-accountable to the party as a whole than in many countries. It's possible that some close votes could be flipped by legislators not voting strictly along party lines. For example, some Republican legislators voted to release Epstein information.

I don't know what, if any, impact there will be from control shift regarding the administration asserting emergency powers to impose tariffs. My understanding is that there are currently lawsuits underway, which the Trump administration is most-likely expected to lose, with a major ruling expected in the next week, but that there may be other legal routes for the administration to effectively impose tariffs. I am not sure that Trump's approval ratings will have an impact here.

Trump's approval probably will have an impact on his influence on Republican politicians. Trump has, in the past, threatened to and endorsed primary election opponents of those Republican politicians who disagree with him. The value of a Trump endorsement is predicated on Trump's popularity, so Trump will generally lose sway over Republican politicians if he becomes less popular.

EDIT: The Executive mostly gets to run foreign policy, so I think that regardless of what happens in Congress, aside from tariffs (which are important and are normally a Congressional power) and extended troop deployments, US foreign policy will probably continue to be largely directed by the Trump administration.

EDIT2: Oh, winning the House will give the Democrats ability to block and thus horse-trade on the federal budget. They did so before, but that was relying on the fillibuster. The Senate can always eliminate the power; it's simply a convention built on internal rules set by a simple majority in the Senate itself, which is presently controlled by the Republicans. While adverse to breaking with convention, in a serious enough case, a majority in the Senate could choose to simply remove that power from the minority. In contrast, there is no recourse if the House doesn't want to pass a budget. Pretty much all of what the President does depends on having funds to do it, and he doesn't get money unless Congress chooses to give it to him, so while it's not a very flexible tool, it is a powerful one.

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[–] grimpy@lemmy.myserv.one 8 points 3 weeks ago

SO MUCH WINNING!!!

[–] snek_boi@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago
[–] LaOroBob@suppo.fi 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The worst is yet to come if they manage to put Vance in power instead of the orange guy…

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[–] BassTurd@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Not in Congress, which is the only place it matters.

[–] Mika@piefed.ca 4 points 3 weeks ago

38% of support is shitloads for the stuff he do. It would be easy to spoil the elections and paint 50%+ result and it would still be believable.

[–] beemikeoak@lemmynsfw.com 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I want to know how many under aged people he tried to find his pee pee with.

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[–] BigTuffAl@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 weeks ago

You have to stop him to stop him.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

There will always be the 35% who support him. It’s a deranged cult. And because another 35% cant be bothered to get off their asses and vote, we will continue to be screwed.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago
[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

What is this, the tenth, fifteenth time I‘ve heard trump is “losing support”? It should be in the negatives if he actually lost support.

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