What is the current state of US politics?

The Current State of US Politics (as of Late September 2026)

Trump's Approval Rating Is at a Record Low

President Trump's approval ratings have hit new lows heading into the midterms. a new poll found 33% of Americans approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president and 63% disapprove, a net rating of −30, the worst reading since May 2025. Polling averages from mid-September show similar trends, with Ballotpedia's average showing 40.0% approval versus 58.0% disapproval as of September 18. Analysts note Trump has yet again hit an all-time approval rating low, with his net approval sitting at -22.4 — worse than his standing at the same point in his first term (-11.6) or where Biden stood (-9.6). Some trackers attribute part of the decline to economic strain, noting the sharpest single-month decline was driven by tariff-driven inflation and stagflation-like conditions.

Midterm Elections Loom Large

The 2026 midterms are less than two months away, and they're shaping much of the political landscape. All 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats are being contested, along with 39 state and territorial gubernatorial elections and numerous state and local races, to determine the 120th Congress. Polling suggests a favorable environment for Democrats: a September poll found President Trump and the Republican Party at their lowest point in the last 18 months, 42 days before Election Day. NPR/PBS/Marist polling similarly found Trump and his unpopularity are an outsize factor in why most voters say they want Democrats to win the midterms.

There's also been unusual campaign activity — Trump featured in a two-day midterm convention in Dallas in September to rally support and raise funds, an event historically reserved for presidential election years, with the RNC chairman dubbing it a "Trump-a-Palooza" given lower-than-hoped attendance from some Republican candidates. Separately, 61 representatives and two non-voting delegates have announced retirement, the second-most in a single election cycle in US history.

Government Funding & Shutdowns

Fiscal fights have dominated 2026. The year began with a shutdown, as the first 2026 shutdown ran January 31–February 3, followed by a second, 76-day shutdown from February 14 to April 30. To avoid a repeat before the midterms, Senate leaders struck a bipartisan agreement in early August to keep the government funded past the midterms, since funding was set to expire September 30, with a continuing resolution funding the government at existing levels until December 11. This reflects a broader pattern — federal employees have endured three funding lapses in the past 12 months totaling 123 days, and Congress has not completed all 12 appropriations bills by October 1 since fiscal year 1997.

Press Freedom Conflict

A major current controversy involves the White House and major news outlets. The Department of Justice has defended President Trump's media ban, arguing that reporting by CNN, MS NOW and Politico on a wide range of issues jeopardized national security and spread falsehoods. In response, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are asking a federal judge to hold the president in check for what they say is a violation of their Constitutional rights.

Immigration Enforcement Remains Contentious

ICE and immigration policy continue generating controversy, with reports of a Chinese national becoming the 57th person to die in custody of ICE or Border Patrol under Trump's second term, and cases like a 76-year-old green card holder with cancer being freed after two months in ICE detention.

Foreign Policy: Iran Conflict

Tensions with Iran have persisted well past initial resolution claims. The news cycle of declaring the war with Iran over amid a peace agreement, only to see fighting continue, has worn on the public, contributing to broader dissatisfaction with the administration's foreign policy handling.

Election Integrity & Voting Access Concerns

Voting rights issues are prominent ahead of November. Registered voters are less confident that USPS will deliver election mail on time compared with 2024, following USPS being part of Trump's bid to limit mail voting. Additionally, a lawsuit argues the Trump administration's repeated suggestions that federal officers could be at polling sites constitutes illegal voter intimidation.

Bottom line: The US political landscape heading into the November 2026 midterms is defined by historically low presidential approval ratings, repeated government funding crises, an unresolved Iran conflict, an unprecedented press-freedom clash between the White House and major news outlets, and mounting concerns over immigration enforcement and voting access — all set against a backdrop suggesting a competitive environment favoring Democrats.