Is Donald Trump improving the US government?

Is Trump Improving the US Government? A Mixed Picture

This is a deeply contested question, and the answer depends heavily on which metrics and values you prioritize. Here's what the evidence shows from multiple angles:

Public Opinion: Declining Support

Trump's approval ratings have steadily eroded since he began his second term. At the time Trump began his second term, his approval rating was 47%, but throughout 2025 to 2026, it declined to an average of 36 to 37%. By mid-2026, his approval sat at 34% as of mid-July—lower than his rating at a comparable point in his first term (40% in August 2018) and lower than most other recent presidents at similar stages.

Notably, the decline isn't just among opponents. The decrease in Trump's approval ratings has primarily come from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents: 69% approve of his job performance, down from 84% in February 2025. A recent AP-NORC poll found three in 10 adults say Trump has been a good or great president so far in his second term, while 52% say he has been a poor or terrible president.

Areas Often Cited as Successes

Supporters and some analysts point to tangible wins:

Areas of Significant Criticism

Economic performance has been a major sore point. Trump promised to bring prices down on day one, but cost of living increased by an annualized 2.7 percent, and his failure to honor that pledge has cost him public trust. Polling confirms this: the public is concerned about Trump's impact on the economy, with about half saying the country and national economy have become somewhat or much worse off since 2025.

Accuracy of claims has also been questioned. Fact-checkers found Trump overstated achievements, including claiming the U.S. secured $18 trillion in investment commitments when the White House's own website showed $9.6 trillion.

Democratic norms and institutional concerns: Analysts have raised flags about executive overreach. Trump sent masked agents into US cities to detain undocumented migrants and ordered National Guard deployments into cities while cutting research funding to pressure universities ideologically. Separately, Trump has attacked the integrity of U.S. elections on more than 70 percent of days since returning to office, repeatedly making false claims.

Trust and honesty metrics: Americans' assessments of Trump have declined steadily, with his job approval rating at one point hitting 34%—the lowest mark of his second term—and he has also lost ground across personal attributes. A Pew report specifically noted a majority of Americans say the level of ethics and honesty in government has fallen during Trump's term.

Bottom Line

There's no single objective answer here—it genuinely depends on your values and what you mean by "improving." If you prioritize border enforcement, deregulation, or tax cuts, there's evidence of change in those directions. If you prioritize economic affordability, institutional trust, democratic norms, or truthful public communication, the data points more negatively, and even Trump's own voter base has grown more skeptical over time. I'd encourage looking at specific policy areas you care most about rather than seeking one overall verdict, since reasonable people weigh these trade-offs very differently.