Is Donald Trump improving the US government?
White House claims of trade, manufacturing, and investment successes conflict with fact-checkers (FactCheck.org, PolitiFact/WRAL) who report sluggish jobs, worse inflation, and a smaller investment figure.
This is a deeply contested political question that reasonable people disagree on based on their values and priorities, so I can't give a definitive yes/no answer. However, I can share what's being reported about his recent actions and the differing perspectives on them.This is a subjective question where reasonable people land in very different places depending on their values and priorities, so I won't give you a personal verdict. Here's what the evidence and competing narratives actually show as of late October 2026:
The case Trump and his supporters make
The White House points to a string of policy actions it frames as major wins: a trade agenda that has secured more than 20 new trade deals as companies re-shore production, and a manufacturing sector it says is experiencing a renaissance. On immigration, the administration claims more than three million migrants have left the country, the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history. It also touts asylum approval rates dropping to just 7% of cases, down from over 50% under Biden.
How the public is actually responding
Despite these claims, Trump's approval ratings have fallen sharply and are now historically low for a second-term president. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published October 19 put Trump's approval at 31%, the lowest of either of his presidential terms, with Democrats leading Republicans 47% to 35% on generic congressional ballot. A separate Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll put his approval at 33%, with 66% disapproving.
Pew Research found a similar erosion, noting Trump's approval rating sat at 34% as of mid-July, having changed little over recent months. Notably, the decline has come primarily from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents — 69% now approve versus 84% in February 2025. Pew also found only 27% of Americans say they support all or most of Trump's policies, down since last year, with the change coming entirely among Republicans.
The economic reality check
Independent fact-checking paints a mixed-to-negative economic picture: job growth became sluggish, with only 776,000 jobs created, and unemployment edged up to 4.2%. Inflation worsened, with consumer prices up 5.4% and gasoline up 38%. Wage gains have also stalled — wages just barely rose faster than inflation since Trump took office, but they've actually decreased this year. Even the administration's signature investment claim is contested: it touts "a record-breaking $18 trillion in commitments for new investments," but the White House's own website has shown a figure of $9.6 trillion since mid-November, and experts caution some of these pledges may not materialize and are unrealistically large compared to the GDP of the countries involved.
Governance style and institutional friction
Critics point to a broader pattern of executive overreach: Trump has preferred to rule by decree rather than legislate after passing his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, saying "We don't need anything more from Congress." Actions cited include sending masked agents into US cities to grab undocumented migrants (sometimes in error) and transporting some to a dictator's prison in El Salvador. Pending Supreme Court cases could also reshape the presidency itself — the Court is expected to rule on whether Trump's reciprocal tariffs are constitutional, and a defeat would throw his trade policy into chaos and could curtail his use of emergency powers.
Bottom line
Whether this adds up to "improvement" depends heavily on what you value — border enforcement and deregulation versus institutional norms, inflation, and democratic checks. Supporters see decisive, promise-keeping action; critics see declining living standards, eroding institutional guardrails, and a presidency increasingly unpopular even among its own voter base. The polling data suggests the broader public's verdict has been trending negative throughout 2026, but that's a reflection of sentiment, not an objective measure of "improvement."
Citations (16)
- President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Source excerpt: “President Trump’s America First trade agenda has secured more than 20 new trade deals as companies re-shore production and increase domestic capabilit...”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: White House says its trade agenda has secured more than 20 new trade deals as companies re-shore production.
- President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Source excerpt: “President Trump has ignited a manufacturing renaissance, with the manufacturing sector ... # President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the Americ...”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: White House claims Trump ignited a manufacturing renaissance.
- President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Source excerpt: “- Under President Trump, asylum is now granted in just 7% of cases — a historic low — plummeting from over 50% rubber-stamped under Biden. ”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: Administration touts asylum approval dropping to 7% of cases, from over 50% under Biden.
- Trump Approval Rating Falls to 31% Ahead of US Midterm Elections 2026
Source excerpt: “A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 19 put Trump’s approval rating at 31 per cent, the lowest of either of his presidential terms. Democrats led...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Reuters/Ipsos poll on October 19 put Trump's approval at 31%, lowest of either term, with Democrats leading generic ballot.
- Trump Approval Rating Falls to 31% Ahead of US Midterm Elections 2026
Source excerpt: “A separate Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll put his approval rating at 33 per cent, with 66 per cent disapproving. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll put approval at 33% with 66% disapproving.
- Trump’s job approval rating is low by historical standards
Source excerpt: “# Trump’s job approval rating is low by historical standards President Donald Trump’s job approval rating – 34% as of mid-July – has changed little ov...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Pew found Trump's approval at 34% as of mid-July, little changed over recent months.
- Trump’s job approval rating is low by historical standards
Source excerpt: “#### How Trump’s approval rating has changed in his second term The decrease in Trump’s approval ratings during his current administration has primari...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Approval decline came primarily from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 69% now approving versus 84% in February 2025.
- Confidence in Trump Dips in 2026, and Fewer Now Say They Support His Policies and Plans
Source excerpt: “Only 27% of Americans say they support all or most of Trump's policies – down since last year, with the change coming entirely among Republicans. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Only 27% of Americans support all or most of Trump's policies, with the drop entirely among Republicans.
- Trump's Numbers, October 2026 Update - FactCheck.org
Source excerpt: “# Trump’s Numbers, October 2026 Update ## Summary So far, under President Donald Trump’s second term: - Job growth became sluggish, with only 776,000...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Job growth became sluggish, with only 776,000 jobs created and unemployment edging up to 4.2%.
- Trump's Numbers, October 2026 Update - FactCheck.org
Source excerpt: “- Inflation worsened. Consumer prices are up 5.4%. Gasoline is up 38%. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Inflation worsened, with consumer prices up 5.4% and gasoline up 38%.
- Trump's Numbers, October 2026 Update - FactCheck.org
Source excerpt: “- Wages just barely rose faster than inflation, as measured since Trump was sworn in. But they’ve decreased this year. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Wages barely rose faster than inflation since Trump took office but have decreased this year.
- Fact-checking Donald Trump’s claims about his second term accomplishments :: WRAL.com
Source excerpt: “has "secured a record-breaking $18 trillion in commitments for new investments.”
attribution, article, neutral. Claim: Administration touts a record-breaking $18 trillion in commitments for new investments.
- Fact-checking Donald Trump’s claims about his second term accomplishments :: WRAL.com
Source excerpt: “"** The White House website since mid-November has shown a figure of $9.6 trillion. In addition, experts have cautioned PolitiFact that some of the $9...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: White House website shows $9.6 trillion since mid-November, and experts caution some pledges may not materialize.
- Analysis: 2026 is a hinge in history that will define Trump’s second term and legacy
Source excerpt: “… He’d rather rule by decree than legislate after passing his One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “We don’t need anything more from Congress,” the president s...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Trump prefers ruling by decree over legislating after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, saying no more is needed from Congress.
- Analysis: 2026 is a hinge in history that will define Trump’s second term and legacy
Source excerpt: ““We don’t need anything more from Congress,” the president said ... # 2026 is a hinge in history that will define Trump’s second term and legacy Trum...”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Trump quoted saying 'We don't need anything more from Congress.'
- Analysis: 2026 is a hinge in history that will define Trump’s second term and legacy
Source excerpt: “## Another year of disruption to come The Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are constitutional after justices se...”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: Supreme Court expected to rule on tariff constitutionality; defeat could upend trade policy and curtail emergency powers.