President Donald Trump’s approval rating has crept up to 42% even as a partial government shutdown stretches into its 21st day, defying the political storm in Washington.
The Hill reported that since October 1, this shutdown—now the third-longest in U.S. history—has gripped the nation, yet a fresh Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Trump gaining a 2-point bump in public support.
This online survey, polling 4,385 adults nationwide over six days until Monday, highlights the unshakable loyalty of Trump’s base, with nine in 10 Republicans still firmly in his corner.
However, the poll lays more fault at the feet of Republican congressional leaders, with 50% of respondents holding them responsible compared to 43% pointing at Democrats.
The pain is real for many, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed, and one in five Americans feel the financial sting firsthand.
Another two in five know someone hit hard by this impasse, while air traffic delays serve as a frustrating daily reminder of the shutdown’s reach.
At the heart of this gridlock, Democrats refuse to budge on funding legislation without a commitment to extend expiring health insurance subsidies—a position 72% of respondents, including half of Republicans, support.
Just 22% think these discounts should vanish, but among backers, 60% insist they’re critical enough to keep the government closed until a resolution emerges.
Meanwhile, 37% of those in favor suggest securing these benefits after reopening the government, a softer approach that still shows how deeply this issue resonates.
Turning to Trump, his approval has stayed steady between 40% and 44% since early April, though it’s slipped 5 points from a high of 47% earlier this year.
Democrats remain unmoved, with only one in 20 approving of his work, a sharp contrast to the steadfast GOP support that keeps his numbers afloat.
Still, this slight uptick—within the poll’s 2-point margin of error—proves Trump’s knack for dodging political fallout, even as this shutdown drags on.
The shutdown isn’t just a personal burden; it’s also a minor weight on economic growth, though most notice it through snarled travel rather than direct losses.
With Republicans holding majorities in both the House and Senate, they still need Senate Democratic votes to pass funding bills, locking this battle into a frustrating stalemate.
Americans are left in the lurch, caught between a rock and a hard place, as both sides dig in over health subsidies—yet Trump’s popularity somehow holds, a testament to his enduring appeal among supporters.
