Executive Summary
- 55% of adults believe President Trump is changing the country for the worse, a 13-point rise from his first term.
- Faith in the US system of checks and balances has fallen to 32%, down from 43% in March 2025.
- Republican confidence in the President’s ethical conduct has decreased from 55% to 42% over the last year.
As President Donald Trump prepares to deliver his State of the Union address, a new poll released Monday indicates that a majority of U.S. adults believe the country is moving in the wrong direction during his second term. According to the NPR/PBS News/Marist survey, 55 percent of adults feel the President is changing the country for the worse, marking a 13-point increase compared to similar polling conducted during his first presidency.
The survey, conducted between January 27 and January 30, highlights a deepening partisan divide. While 90 percent of Democrats believe the nation is worse off than it was a year ago, 82 percent of Republicans report feeling that conditions have improved. However, the data suggests a broader erosion of faith in governance structures; in March 2025, 43 percent of adults agreed that the system of checks and balances was working well, but that figure has dropped to 32 percent in the latest findings.
Complementary data from a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January reinforces these trends, finding that only 27 percent of U.S. adults support all or most of the President’s policies. While the President retains significant base support, there are signs of softening approval within the Republican party regarding specific leadership attributes.
Since early 2025, confidence among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters regarding President Trump’s mental fitness has declined from 75 percent to 66 percent. Similarly, the percentage of Republicans who believe the President acts ethically in office dropped from 55 percent to 42 percent over the same period.
Political Implications
The release of these polling numbers immediately preceding the State of the Union address underscores the political headwinds facing the administration as it enters its second year. The data reveals that while partisan loyalty remains high, the internal erosion of confidence regarding ethical conduct and competency among Republican voters could complicate the White House’s ability to maintain a unified legislative front. Furthermore, the sharp decline in public trust regarding the efficacy of checks and balances suggests a growing electorate skepticism toward federal institutions, which may influence the tone and reception of the President’s upcoming policy proposals.
