On the eve of his State of the Union address, the numbers arrived before the speech ever could. A new CNN/SSRS poll places Donald Trump’s approval rating at 36%, a figure that does not merely suggest weakness but signals erosion — especially among voters who once floated between parties.

The survey, conducted between 17 and 20 February among 2,496 adults and released on 23 February 2026, captures a presidency under visible strain. Independents, in particular, appear to be moving away. Just 26% now approve of Trump’s performance, 15 points lower than at the same moment last year.

The slide is not isolated. It is layered.

Approval ratings often move in increments. This shift has been sharper.

Overall, 63% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s job performance. Nearly half of all adults, 49%, say they strongly disapprove. Only 19% strongly approve. The gap between those two figures — strong opposition versus strong support — offers a clearer measure of intensity than headline approval alone.

Even more telling is the question about priorities. Just 32% say Trump has focused on the right issues. Sixty-eight per cent believe he has not paid sufficient attention to the country’s most pressing problems.