News of the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has failed to win over voters in the U.S. Here’s a look at the newest approval rating for President Donald Trump and his latest foreign policy grade.
Trump’s Approval Rating Falls
Similar to the last month of 2025, the first month of 2026 has Trump with an approval rating below 50% from voters.
A new Morning Consult poll shows Trump with an approval rating of 46%, down one percentage point from two weeks ago. Trump’s disapproval rating stands unchanged at 51%. This gives the president a net approval rating of -5%.
The survey was conducted mostly before news of the strikes in Venezuela was reported on social media and Trump confirmed Maduro’s capture.
Trump’s average approval rating and disapproval rating since taking office in January 2025 have been 47% and 51%, respectively.
Trump’s latest moves in Venezuela have voters and investors on edge for other countries that could see similar military action and intervention by the U.S.
In the poll, Trump received a 45% approval rating for his handling of foreign policy, along with a disapproval rating of 44%. This net approval of one percentage point is down from +3 before Maduro was captured.
This could signal that voters disapprove of the actions taken in Venezuela or are worried about more future actions in other countries.
Poll Shows Democrat Lead For 2026 Midterms
Rising health costs remain a key priority for voters, according to the poll. Voters may blame Trump or Congress for not putting a large enough emphasis on tackling the issue before the start of 2026.
In the poll, 40% say the Trump administration is making reducing health care costs a “top priority.” This result is close to an all-time low of 39% for the same question.
Democrats lead Republicans 44% to 42% in a generic poll about the 2026 midterm elections.
While voters give Trump and Republicans low marks, optimism for the 2026 year and beyond may have risen slightly.
After low marks during Trump’s return to office were set in November for a question of whether the country is headed in the right direction, the results are more positive in January, according to a separate Morning Consult poll.
Here are the results by voting group for January, with the score from November in parentheses:
- All Voters: 41% (37%)
- Democrats: 17% (16%)
- Independents: 29% (25%)
- Republicans: 74% (69%)
Voters and investors alike will be closely monitoring the current situation in Venezuela and potential actions in other countries. Trump’s approval rating could continue to go down if more actions are taken or threats made that voters do not agree.
Photo: Shutterstock
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