Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

This is a subjective question that people evaluate very differently depending on their political views and priorities, so I can't give a definitive yes/no answer. But I can share what's being reported on various fronts to help inform your own judgment. Let me look into recent assessments.## It Depends on Who You Ask — and the Metric

There's no single objective answer to this — "improving" is a value judgment, and Americans are sharply divided on it. Here's what the data and reporting show across different dimensions:

Public Opinion

Trump's approval has been trending downward through 2026. Trump's approval rating has declined over the course of this administration, now comparable to but modestly lower than Joe Biden's 37% rating in the summer of 2022. Notably, the decrease in Trump's approval ratings has primarily come from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents: 69% approve of his job performance now, down from 84% in February 2025.

Polling in early 2026 showed multiple surveys revealing that more Americans now disapprove of his job performance than approve, with his approval mired in the upper 30s to low 40s while disapproval consistently registers above 50%.

Trust in Government/Ethics

A majority of Americans (56%) say the overall level of ethics and honesty in the federal government has fallen over the course of Trump's term, while far fewer (19%) say it has risen. Even among Republicans, sentiment shifted: shortly after taking office, 59% of Republicans expected ethics to rise under Trump, but now only 37% say ethics have actually risen, while 23% say it has fallen.

The Case That Things Are Improving (Administration/Supporters' View)

The White House touts a surging economy with record jobs and growth, ironclad border security slashing illegal crossings, and bold investments fueling AI and tech innovation. Energy production is a frequently cited win: U.S. crude oil production reached approximately 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, a record annual level, an increase of roughly 350,000 barrels per day compared with the previous year. Republican lawmakers echo this, crediting Trump with having "ended the illegal alien invasion," "unleashed American energy dominance," "restored law and order," and signed "the largest tax cut in American history".

The Case That Things Are Not Improving (Critics' View)

On jobs, fact-checkers note during Biden's final year in office, the economy added more than 2 million jobs overall, compared with 473,000 in 2025 under Trump. Critics argue the cost-of-living promise hasn't been kept: Trump promised to bring prices down on day one, but the cost of living increased by an annualized 2.7 percent, costing him public trust as Americans find it harder to afford essentials. On the economic front specifically, his approval on the economy is only 37%, and on inflation—probably the biggest issue that propelled him to victory—only 31% of Americans approve.

There have also been notable controversies, including large-scale ICE raids in Minneapolis with counter-protests and the fatal shooting of an American citizen by an ICE agent, and disputes over the accuracy of administration claims — fact-checkers rated his assertion about ending "eight unendable wars in 10 months" as an exaggerated claim similar to one rated Mostly False.

Bottom Line

Whether you see this as "improvement" depends heavily on which issues you prioritize (energy/border security vs. cost of living/institutional trust) and your starting political lean. The polling consistently shows a country deeply split, with even Trump's own base showing softening enthusiasm on ethics and some economic metrics, while his core supporters point to energy, deregulation, and border enforcement as major wins.