Politics
State-by-State Look: Trump’s Approval Rating Slips
By Jake Beardslee · September 14, 2025
State-by-State Look: Trump's Approval Rating Slips
President Donald Trump announced on September 12 that the National Guard will deploy to Memphis, Tennessee, as the next step in his anti-crime campaign.The move follows an August deployment of Guard troops to Washington, D.C., which Trump defended as essential to curb crime—despite the capital’s rates trending downward.
Trump at first floated the idea of sending troops to Chicago, calling it a “hell hole”, but Illinois leaders pushed back. “The mayor is happy … the governor is happy,” Trump told Fox & Friends of Memphis instead. “Deeply troubled, we’re gonna fix that just like we did Washington. I would have preferred going to Chicago.”
Meanwhile, nationwide polling shows falling approval ratings. A Morning Consult survey from September 6-8 put Trump at 45 percent approval versus 52 percent disapproval, and the RealClearPolitics average shows a –5.5 point margin, with the New York Times aggregator at –8 points.
Below is a state-by-state look at the numbers cited in the report. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
1. Tennessee
• Approval/Disapproval: 58% approve, 38% disapprove• Rank: Trump’s sixth-best state nationwide
• Significance: Tennessee’s strong approval helps explain why Trump chose Memphis for his next National Guard deployment. State officials, he says, are welcoming federal help.
2. Illinois
• Approval/Disapproval: 41% approve, 55% disapprove• Rank: Trump’s 11th-worst state
• Backdrop: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker strongly opposed a Guard deployment to Chicago, prompting Trump to abandon that plan despite calling the city a “hell hole.”
3. Georgia
• Approval/Disapproval: Net positive (exact percentage not provided)• Rank: The only 2024 swing state where Trump currently enjoys a net-positive rating.
• Significance: Georgia remains an electoral prize and a rare bright spot in Trump’s national polling.
4. Arizona
• Approval/Disapproval: Even split• Trend: While competitive, Arizona shows no clear majority for or against Trump.
• Implication: This battleground state remains up for grabs ahead of the 2026 midterms.
5. Washington, D.C.
• Context: Though not a state, D.C. was the first location where Trump deployed the Guard this summer, citing crime concerns despite a declining rate.• Political Reaction: His August 25 order ending cashless bail and creating a specialized Guard unit drew protests such as Howard University’s “No Cooperation With DC’s Occupation” walkout.
National Averages and How They Compare Historically
• Overall Approval: Morning Consult: 45% approve, 52% disapprove• Trendline: RealClearPolitics average –5.5 points; New York Times aggregator –8 points as of September 12.
• Historical Context: Gallup notes Trump’s August first-year approval (40%) is lower than any modern U.S. president, including Joe Biden (49%), Barack Obama (53%), and Ronald Reagan (60%). David Everett Strickler / Unsplash
