(New York) The months go by. Controversies are multiplying. But the polls do not change. Donald Trump remains an unpopular president in this first fall of his second term. But no more than it was last spring.
At least that’s what emerges from the results of a new survey Tea New York Times/Sienna College, whose barometers are considered to be references in the matter. Eight months after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, 43 % of American voters approve the performance of the 47e President against 54 % who disapprove of it.
Last April, 42 % of voters approved her performance against 54 % who disapproved, according to data from the previous NYT/Sienna survey.
Events likely to change public opinion have not however missed over the past eight months in the United States. Donald Trump imposed, withdrawn and reposed customs duties. He deployed soldiers in three American cities, including the federal capital. He dropped bombs on Iran’s nuclear installations. He made cuts in social programs to provide tax discounts to the richest. He prompted federal officials to target and pursue his political enemies. He threatened or compromised the independence of major institutions, including universities and the American central bank. This list is not exhaustive.
However, none of this has made Donald Trump more popular or unpopular. And, above all, none of that has started his supports within his party. About 9 out of 10 Republicans continue to support its action at the head of the US government.
In short, the American electorate seems to be frozen in cement.
This electorate believes that Donald Trump will “too far” in several of his policies, according to the results of the NYT/Sienna survey conducted from September 22 to 27 with 1313 voters in good standing to the greatness of the United States.
Some examples: 61 % of voters believe that the president goes too far by exerting pressures on the media which cover it unfavorablely (against 26 % who judge the measure almost fair); 53 % find that it goes too far by deploying the National Guard in American cities (compared to 33 %); 51 % believe that it goes too far in the repression of illegal immigration (compared to 35 %); And 50 % think it goes too far by forcing companies to make certain decisions (compared to 30 %).
Infographic the press
Source : The New York Times
Objectives shared by the electorate
But this same electorate continues to share some of Donald Trump’s objectives. For example, 54 % of voters, including almost 20 % of Democrats, say they are in favor of the expulsion of migrants illegally living in the United States; And 51 % think that the government mainly expels people who “should be expelled”.
Nevertheless, Donald Trump finds himself in the red or negative zone on almost all important questions, that is to say that the percentage of voters who disapprove of his policies is greater than the percentage of voters who approve them. This is the case for immigration (-6 points), the economy (-9 points), international trade (-10 points), government management (-10 points), war between Russia and Ukraine (-20 points) and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (-19 points).
Infographic the press
Source : The New York Times
However, on all these questions, voters do not perceive Donald Trump’s performance in a more negative way today than last spring, if we take into account the margin of error. In fact, they give him a better note on the economy and on the fight against crime. This upturn is mainly due to a marked increase in the republican satisfaction rate on these issues. On the economy, however, the president shows a deficit of 20 points among the self -employed.
And yet, the Democrats do not benefit from the unpopularity of Donald Trump on this issue and on several others.
If the mid-term elections took place today, the Democrats would collect 47 % of the votes against 45 % for the Republicans, according to the Nyt/Sienna survey. Last April, the two parties claimed exactly the same voting intentions. Intentions which would not guarantee the Democrats a majority in the House of Representatives if they materialized in November 2026, taking into account the distribution of votes.
Polarization
One of the survey data illustrates the polarization of the American electorate in a striking way: 18 % of the Democrats identify Donald Trump and the Republicans as the most important problem facing the Americans today, while 16 % of the Republicans identify Democrats as the most important problem in their eyes. Faced with all other questions.
The self -employed, themselves, call polarization and division as the most important problem.
On this question, the New York Times quotes one of the respondents of her survey, Laurie Maravich, a North Carolina Democrat, who is worried about the impact of Donald Trump on American society: “He can say all the horrors he wants on anyone, but if someone criticizes anything who concerns him near or far, he wants to silence or expel him. He threatens and intimidates people to do what he wants. »»
The Nyt/Sienna survey paints a portrait of a pessimistic country. No less than two out of three voters believe that the United States is too divided to solve its problems.
Reader question
Could Donald Trump be dismissed, annoys a democratic majority in the two chambers of Congress after the mid-term elections? If so, could he find himself in prison?
Jean-François Rouleau
The answer to these two questions is yes, in theory. In practice, this is another story. It takes a simple majority in the House of Representatives to obtain the indictment of a president as part of a dismissal procedure and a majority of two -thirds in the Senate to obtain his conviction. Even if the Democrats became majority in the Senate, such a majority is virtually unthinkable. In a judgment rendered in 2024, the Supreme Court also granted immunity to the President with regard to his official acts. The president can therefore be charged, condemned and imprisoned, but only for acts that do not come from his functions.
