Trump’s Approval Rating Nosedives with Conservatives

President Donald Trump is facing the kind of political headache his advisers never expected: a growing number of conservatives turning their backs on him.

According to newly released polling from YouGov/The Economist, Trump’s once ironclad grip on conservative America is starting to erode—and fast. Approval among conservatives has slipped 7 points in just three months. In May, 88% gave him a thumbs-up. By July? Just 81%.

And it’s not just approval slipping. Disapproval is rising too—jumping from 11% in May to 17% now. The president’s net approval with conservatives now sits at +64. That may sound solid, but it’s the lowest he’s seen all year.

The Economic Mirage Is Fading

Much of the conservative discontent can be traced to pocketbook pain. Inflation is back on the rise. According to the Consumer Price Index, annual inflation jumped to 2.7% in June, up from 2.4% in May. Gas prices are climbing again. Grocery bills are creeping higher. And while Trump still holds a majority approval among conservatives on the economy—81%—that figure hasn’t budged in two months.

The real red flag? Conservative voters are losing hope that things are improving. In May, nearly 60% said the economy was getting better. That optimism has shriveled to just 53%.

But the sharpest collapse comes on the issue Trump once touted as his economic signature: inflation. In May, conservatives backed his inflation policies by a 70-point margin. Now? That margin has been nearly halved. Only 66% support his handling of inflation, while a full quarter disapprove.

Economists blame one key factor: Trump’s tariffs. Thanks to sweeping duties slapped on imports from China, Europe, and Latin America, average tariffs are now at their highest level since 1933—18.7% according to the Yale Budget Lab. Consumers are footing the bill.

“These tariffs are stealth taxes,” said Columbia University economist Lina Zhao. “They hurt working-class Americans—especially those who still support Trump.”

‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Backlash

Trump’s flagship second-term legislation, the “Big Beautiful Bill,” is another source of conservative unease. While 73% still back the bill, support is thinning. Many critics within the GOP call it a giveaway to billionaires, stuffed with corporate tax breaks and cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

“This bill was supposed to be for us. It’s for them,” one conservative voter from Michigan told Newsweek.

Even Republican lawmakers are expressing doubt behind closed doors. One GOP House aide said, “They were promised populism. They got plutocracy.”

Epstein Scandal Reignites Tensions

Trump’s response to the Epstein revelations has only added fuel to the fire. After weeks of conspiracies and chaos, a Justice Department memo confirmed last week that Epstein died by suicide—and that there is no so-called “client list” being hidden from the public.

That message infuriated a chunk of Trump’s own base. Only 44% of conservatives approve of how he’s handled the issue. Thirty-two percent disapprove outright.

Worse? A majority—55%—say they believe the government is actively hiding evidence. A staggering 77% demand the full release of all related documents.

Trump’s response didn’t help. “You’re all getting played by the Democrats,” he reportedly told supporters at a recent donor dinner, calling them “weaklings” for believing in what he called a “hoax.” The backlash was instant, and he later scrambled to undo the damage by ordering Attorney General Pam Bondi to begin unsealing Epstein grand jury materials.

“It’s whiplash,” one former Trump staffer told Politico. “He’s trying to throw meat to the base, but keeps tripping over his own shoelaces.”

Immigration: The One Issue Still Holding

There is one policy area where Trump remains relatively unscathed: immigration.

Approval among conservatives stands at 85% in July—only a minor dip from May’s 88%. Trump’s second-term immigration agenda has been the most hardline in modern history, including mass deportation sweeps, ICE raids in sanctuary cities, and the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility in Florida.

Even so, insiders say there’s growing anxiety within DHS and Border Patrol leadership over the long-term viability of such tactics. And the political sheen may be wearing thin.

A Broader Slide Across America

This conservative dip is just part of a bigger picture. Trump’s national numbers have also taken a hit.

A Big Data Poll conducted earlier this month showed his overall approval at 48%—with 49% disapproving. That’s down from 56% approval back in January, just after he returned to office. It’s now his lowest net rating since his inauguration.

Other polls echo the slide:

• Newsweek Approval Tracker: Trump at 44% approval, 54% disapproval (net -10)
• Atlas Intel (July 13–18): Trump at 44% approval, 55% disapproval (net -11)
• YouGov/CBS News (July 16–18): Trump at 42% approval, 58% disapproval (net -16) — the worst national showing of his second term

What It Means for 2026—and Beyond

Trump may still be the GOP’s standard bearer, but cracks in the conservative foundation could spell trouble for his party in the 2026 midterms. Democrats, facing their own generational and messaging challenges, now see a narrow window opening.

“He’s bleeding support where he can least afford it,” said DNC strategist Ava Martinez. “And we’re watching it happen in real time.”

If the trend continues, Trump’s re-election bounce may prove to be short-lived—and the path to a Democratic resurgence in 2026 may just be running straight through his fractured base.