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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump's approval rating among Gen Z voters has fallen to a new low, according to the latest Economist/YouGov polling.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement that the president has "already made historic progress not only in America but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics."
Why It Matters
Gen Z voters are a critical turnout variable in midterm elections, particularly in competitive districts with thin margins. Sustained disapproval among younger voters can depress Republican performance even when overall turnout remains modest.
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What To Know
The most recent Economist/YouGov poll, conducted February 6 to 9 among 1,730 U.S. adult citizens, showed Trump's approval among voters aged 18 to 29 at 25 percent, with 67 percent disapproving.
That translates to a net approval rating of -42, the lowest level recorded for this age group in the survey series, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent adjusted for weighting.
The decline represents a rapid shift from the prior week.
In the previous Economist/YouGov poll, fielded January 30 to February 2 among 1,672 U.S. adult citizens, Trump stood at 33 percent approval and 62 percent disapproval among 18- to 29-year‑olds, a net rating of -29.
With a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent, the data shows an 8‑point drop in approval and a 13‑point worsening in net terms in a single polling interval.
That volatility follows a longer downward trajectory.
The Economist/YouGov poll conducted December 26 to 29 among 1,550 U.S. adult citizens found that 29 percent of Gen Z voters approved of Trump, while 66 percent disapproved, producing a net rating of -37.
The margin of error for that survey was plus or minus 3.6 percent, adjusted for weighting.
Earlier in 2025, Trump's standing with younger voters, while already negative, was notably stronger.
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted April 25 to 28, 2025, among 1,785 U.S. adult citizens showed 32 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval among voters aged 18 to 29, a net rating of -21—with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent.
Just two months before that, Trump was still narrowly positive with Gen Z.
In the February 16 to 18, 2025, Economist/YouGov poll of 1,603 U.S. adult citizens, 52 percent of 18- to 29-year‑olds approved of the president's job performance, while 43 percent disapproved, yielding a net approval rating of +9.
That survey carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent, adjusted for weighting.
Taken together, the data traces a clear realignment.
Over the course of a year, Trump has moved from marginally popular among the youngest adult voters to deeply underwater, with approval collapsing and disapproval hardening rather than merely softening.
The most recent decline is especially notable for not only its size but also its speed, suggesting fragility rather than stabilization within the cohort.
All Economist/YouGov surveys cited used the same methodology.
Respondents were selected from YouGov's opt‑in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens, with demographic weighting targets drawn from the 2019 American Community Survey.
Baseline party identification is based on respondents' most recent self‑reported answer, and the electorate is estimated to be 48 percent Harris and 50 percent Trump.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Newsweek in an emailed statement: “President Trump was overwhelmingly elected by nearly 80 million Americans to deliver on his popular and commonsense agenda. The President has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social last week: "The highest Poll Numbers I have ever received. Obviously, people like a strong and powerful Country, with the best economy, EVER!"
Senior elections analyst Eli McKown‑Dawson, in the Silver Bulletin: "After a consistent downward trend, Donald Trump's approval rating has leveled out and somewhat improved this week. Today, it's up to -13.7 on net, compared to -14.6 one week ago. Even still, the share of Americans who strongly disapprove of Trump broke 46 percent for the first time yesterday."
What Happens Next
The durability of this shift among Gen Z will be closely watched as the midterm cycle matures.
If the current levels of disapproval persist, Republicans may face growing structural challenges in races where younger voter turnout becomes decisive rather than marginal.
Update 2/11/26, 10:54 a.m. ET. This article was updated with a White House statement.
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