More than half of voters continue to give President Donald Trump strong approval ratings as he approaches the end of his first 100 days in office. His sustained popularity—particularly among independent voters—is reflected in high marks for his handling of key issues like reducing illegal immigration and cutting government spending.
A large survey of 2,286 registered voters—conducted by Harvard’s Center for American Political Studies, The Harris Poll, and HarrisX and released Monday—found that 48% still believe President Trump is the right leader for the moment. In comparison, 46% disapprove of his performance, while 6% remain undecided or have no opinion. “Trump’s approval is still above water but has dipped four points,” pollsters wrote, noting “Trump’s highest approval is on his handling of immigration and reducing (government) costs, while his lowest is on tariffs and inflation.”
Just over half of those surveyed—51%—support Trump’s immigration policies, consistent with previous findings that show broad approval for his long-standing push for mass deportations. The issue made headlines Monday when both Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said they would not assist in extraditing an alleged MS-13 gang member from a Salvadoran prison back to Maryland, where he was recently apprehended. Meanwhile, 50% of respondents also back Trump’s efforts to “reduce the cost of government,” a signature initiative led by advisor Elon Musk and the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.
A combined 56% of respondents say President Trump is performing either better than expected or about as expected. The results highlight both achievements and challenges in the early months of Trump’s second term, as he pushes forward with plans for the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history—an initiative prompted by record-high levels of illegal and asylum immigration during the Biden-Harris administration.
Other findings include just under half (49%) approve of Trump “returning America to its values,” 43% approve of the president’s handling of the economy, and 41% agree with the job he’s done managing inflation and tariffs. Pollsters found that “inflation remains the top issue for voters across party lines,” according to the Boston Herald. Trump’s immigration policies received strong support, whereas his economic policies were more divisive.
About three in four voters say they are in favor of “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes” while seven in 10 are supportive of “closing the border with added security and policies that discourage illegal crossings.” And half of those polled say they support “placing tariffs on goods from China, Mexico and Canada to encourage U.S. manufacturing.”
