Trump approval falls to 32% as Hispanic support declines

US President Donald Trump’s approval rating stood at a career-low 32% in a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll reported on Monday, October 5, as Republicans prepared for the November 3 congressional elections. The survey of US adults also put his approval among Hispanic Americans at 24%, the lowest level of either of his presidential terms.¹³⁴⁸

Support weakens before midterms

The overall figure was unchanged from the Reuters/Ipsos survey in September, according to reports of the findings. The Guardian also reported that Trump had lost support among independent voters and Latinos who backed him in 2024. The poll was conducted online across the United States over six days and included 4,506 adults.¹³⁴⁷

Reports of the poll said 52% of Hispanic voters intended to support Democratic candidates in the midterms. A separate NBC News/Telemundo survey found that 59% of Latino voters preferred Democratic control of Congress, according to The Guardian. The dossier identifies conflicting reporting around a claim that 26% of registered Hispanic voters intended to vote Republican.¹³⁴⁸

The movement follows stronger Hispanic support for Trump in the previous two presidential elections. The Straits Times reported that he received nearly half of the Hispanic vote in 2024, compared with about one-third in 2020. Al Jazeera cited a Pew Research Center estimate placing Trump and Democratic rival Kamala Harris within three percentage points among Hispanic voters in 2024.³⁴

Immigration and living costs

Axios reported that dissatisfaction among Latino voters was focused on living costs and immigration enforcement, while also saying Democrats had not completely restored their standing with those voters. Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida criticised elements of the administration’s enforcement policy in a campaign advertisement reported on October 5.³⁶

Addressing Trump in the advertisement, Salazar said: “The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.” She added: “Some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.” The Guardian separately reported that some Republican candidates were distancing themselves from Trump on immigration and other matters.¹³

Trump returns to the campaign trail

Trump rejected the polling warning when questioned before flying to Nebraska, telling reporters, “I’m doing great”. The Guardian reported that he blamed CNN and the wider media when asked about declining Latino support. Le Monde said he nevertheless acknowledged that his administration had not promoted its record effectively and had adopted an intensive rally schedule.¹⁵

Trump launched a 32-day series of rallies around the country in support of Republican candidates, according to Al Jazeera. At a campaign event reported on October 6, he urged supporters to treat the midterms as if he were standing himself and attacked polling that showed Republican weakness. The November 3 vote will determine control of the House and Senate for the final two years of his current term.²³⁴