Trump’s overall approval has slipped to 38 % – the lowest point of his second term – after a partial release of Jeffrey Epstein‑related files, a Reuters‑Ipsos poll shows. The five‑point tumble among Republican supporters, from 87 % to 82 %, underscores the political damage the revelations are inflicting on a president already beset by economic discontent.
The national poll, conducted with 1,017 U.S. adults over four days and concluding on 18 November 2025, recorded a two‑point decline in Trump’s approval since an early‑November survey, which had placed him at 40 %. The latest figures place his standing at 38 %, a historic low for the current term. Among the broader electorate, only one in five Americans – 20 % – expressed confidence in the president’s handling of the Epstein matter, while just 44 % of Republicans voiced the same approval.
The data arrives as the White House struggles to contain the fallout from the limited disclosure of documents linking the former president to the late financier. The partial release, prompted by a court‑ordered unsealing of a subset of Epstein’s flight logs and financial records, has reignited scrutiny of Trump’s past associations with the convicted sex offender. While the administration has attempted to portray the episode as a peripheral legal matter, the poll suggests that the narrative is resonating with voters, eroding confidence across the political spectrum.
For the Republican base, the five‑point slide from 87 % to 82 % marks the steepest dip since the party’s post‑2016 realignment. Party loyalists have traditionally insulated Trump from policy‑driven criticism, but the personal scandal appears to be breaching that shield. Political analysts note that the erosion of support among staunch Republicans could have downstream effects on the 2024 presidential contest, potentially weakening the incumbent’s ability to rally the party’s grassroots.
Economic concerns remain a dominant theme in voter sentiment, yet the Epstein disclosures are carving out a distinct niche of disapproval. The Arab American News highlighted the confluence of rising prices and the scandal as a double‑edged sword for the administration, noting that the “lowest of his term” approval rating coincides with mounting pressure on the Federal Reserve to curb inflation. While the Federal Reserve’s policy decisions are driven by macro‑economic indicators, the political climate shaped by scandals can influence legislative cooperation on fiscal measures, adding another layer of complexity to the president’s agenda.
In the weeks ahead, the White House is expected to manage the narrative through selective briefings and legal maneuvers aimed at limiting further document releases. However, the poll’s stark numbers suggest that the partial unsealing has already inflicted a measurable blow to Trump’s standing, a blow that may prove difficult to reverse as the election cycle accelerates.