Politics

Immigration Stands as Trump’s Only Net Positive Issue: Polling

By Jake Beardslee · June 3, 2025

According to new polling averages from Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin, President Donald Trump is currently receiving more public approval than disapproval on only one major policy issue: immigration. The data, updated Monday, indicates that 49.6 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s performance on immigration, compared to 47.2 percent who disapprove, resulting in a modest net positive of 2.5 percentage points.

This continues a trend that has persisted since the beginning of Trump’s current term. He started with a 7-point net approval rating on immigration, and that issue has consistently ranked as his strongest area of support among the American public. His popularity on immigration reached a high in early March, climbing to a net approval of 11.1 points. However, that number briefly dipped into negative territory during mid-April and early May.

By contrast, Trump’s handling of the economy, trade, and inflation has not fared as well in the eyes of voters. His approval rating on the economy has deteriorated significantly since the start of his term. Initially, he enjoyed a 6-point net positive on the issue, and for a brief period in late January and early February, economic approval actually outpaced immigration, peaking at 8.3 points. But as of June, that figure has reversed, with only 42.1 percent approving of Trump’s economic leadership and 53.4 percent disapproving, leaving him with a net negative of 11.3 points.

The president’s performance on trade has also taken a hit. While early approval ratings hovered just slightly below neutral, they briefly edged into positive territory during the first month of his term. Now, however, Trump’s average approval rating on trade stands at negative 9.6 percentage points.

On the issue of inflation, Trump’s numbers are even lower. His approval on this front is currently underwater by 17.5 percentage points, making it his weakest area. Although he did manage a brief period of low net-positive ratings at the very start of his term, voter sentiment quickly shifted toward disapproval.

Taken together, these figures give Trump an overall average net approval rating of negative 5.4 percentage points. According to the data, 45.9 percent of Americans approve of the president’s job performance, while 51.3 percent express disapproval.