President Trump won the 2024 election by 1.5 percentage points and declared that he had a strong mandate to lead. Since returning to the White House, he has been working quickly to put his plans into action.

But how do Americans feel about his leadership so far? Here’s what the latest polls show.

Trump’s Approval Rating Is Higher Than Before

A new CBS News/YouGov poll (Feb. 5-7) shows that 53% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, while 47% disapprove. This is his highest approval rating ever in a CBS News poll.

For comparison, in February 2017, only 40% of Americans approved of his job performance. Other polls also show an improvement. Gallup puts him at 47% approval (compared to 45% in 2017), and Pew Research Center reports the same number (47%), higher than any of his first-term ratings.

Still, Trump’s disapproval rating remains high (48% in Gallup, 51% in Pew), meaning more people dislike his performance than like it. He also remains less popular than past presidents at the start of their terms.

Still Less Popular Than Most Presidents—and Declining

The average approval rating for new presidents since Dwight Eisenhower is 61%, according to Gallup. This puts Trump’s 47% near the bottom of the list, only ahead of his own 45% rating in 2017.

For reference, other presidents started higher: John F. Kennedy (72%), Barack Obama (68%), and even Joe Biden (57%).

Trump’s approval has also dropped slightly since he took office in January. FiveThirtyEight reports that his disapproval rating has climbed, shrinking the gap between approval and disapproval by 3 percentage points.

The polls show that Trump’s popularity is sharply divided by party. According to Gallup, 91% of Republicans support him, but only 6% of Democrats do. This level of division is much higher than for past presidents.

Trump Seen as ‘Energetic’ and Keeping Promises

Despite mixed approval ratings, many Americans believe Trump is acting decisively and following through on his campaign promises. A CBS News/YouGov poll found that:

• 49% say he’s doing more than expected, while only 9% think he’s doing less.
• 70% believe he is sticking to his campaign promises.
• Many view him as “tough” (69%), “energetic” (63%), “focused” (60%), and “effective” (58%).

But His Policies Are Not Always Popular

Some of Trump’s policies have broad support:

• 54% approve of how he is handling the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• 56% support new tariffs on goods from China.
• 59% back efforts to deport undocumented immigrants.
• 64% approve of sending U.S. troops to the Mexico border.

However, other policies face resistance:

• Only 13% think the U.S. should take over Gaza.
• Most Americans oppose tariffs on Canada (62%), Mexico (56%), and Europe (60%).
• 52% disapprove of large detention centers for undocumented immigrants.
• 58% oppose Trump’s pardons for those involved in the January 6 attack, and 74% reject pardons for those convicted of violent crimes.
• Many also support agencies Trump wants to cut, such as the CDC (63%) and the FBI (57%).

Economy and Elon Musk Could Be Trouble Spots

One of Trump’s biggest early moves has been cutting government programs, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk leading the effort as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But polls suggest this might be a risky move:

• 51% say Musk has too much influence in Trump’s administration, while only 13% think he should have that much power.
• 46% want Musk to have no role in government.
• Only 29% approve of creating DOGE, and 60% dislike Trump taking advice from Musk.

Americans are also concerned about prices. According to CBS News/YouGov:

• 66% say Trump isn’t doing enough to lower costs.
• More people think his policies will make them financially worse off (40%) than better off (35%).
• 51% believe food and grocery prices will go up, and 73% say new tariffs will increase costs rather than lower them.

Economic confidence is also slipping. The University of Michigan reported that consumer confidence is at its lowest point since July 2024, and inflation expectations have risen by a full percentage point since Trump took office.

Conclusion

Trump’s approval ratings are better than in 2017 but still lower than most past presidents. While many see him as energetic and effective, his policies are dividing public opinion. His handling of the economy and Elon Musk’s role in his administration could be major challenges in the months ahead.