Trump’s approval sinks among most Asian Americans, but not among Asian Republicans or seniors

President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have reached new lows in his second term. Among Asian Americans, his approval has fallen even further, with recent surveys placing his average approval ratings in the mid-20s. More than 7 in 10 Asian Americans now disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, immigration, and trade negotiations with other countries. However, his approval varies by party affiliation, age, and Asian subgroup. Asian American Democrats and Independents overwhelmingly disapprove of his handling of these issues, while Asian American Republicans still largely approve. Moreover, Trump tends to receive higher approval ratings among Asian American seniors and Filipino Americans.

Recent polls show President Donald Trump’s approval rating have reached new lows in his second-term. As of November 9th, his net approval stood at -18% according to The Economist: 58% of Americans disapprove of the job he’s doing, 39% approve, and 4% remain unsure. The CNN Poll of Polls reports similar numbers, with 60% disapproving and 39% approving of Trump’s performance as president.

Lower approval among Asian Americans

Among Asian Americans, Trump’s approval ratings have fallen even further. Recent surveys by AtlasIntel and AAPI Data/AP-NORC put his average approval in the mid-20s. In particular, Asian Americans have soured on Trump’s handling of immigration with a significant 13-point drop in approval from 42% in April to 29% in October.

Only 24% of Asian Americans approve of Trump’s performance on the economy and trade negotiations, while more than 70% disapprove of his handling of all three issues.

Republicans still overwhelming approve

While most Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance, partisan divides remain strong—68% of Republicans approve of his job performance, compared to just 8% of Democrats and 32% of Independents per a new national survey by PRRI. Similar patterns hold among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). AAPI Democrats and Independents overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s performance, while AAPI Republicans largely approve.

Independents saw the largest shift

Approval among AAPI Independents has sharply declined: only 19% now approve of his handling of the economy and trade negotiations, down from roughly 30% in April. Approval of his immigration policies among this group also dropped from 51% in April to 30% in October — a steep 21-point decline.

Asian seniors show higher approval

Support for Trump are higher among older Asian Americans. Among AAPI seniors aged 65 or older, 45% approve of how he handles immigration, and 39% approve of how he handles the economy. In contrast, support among younger Asian Americans is extremely low. Only 11% of young AAPI adults ages 18–34 approve of his approach to immigration, and 13% approve of his economic handling. For context, across all AAPI adults, 29% approve of Trump’s handling of immigration and 24% approve of his handling of the economy.

3 in 4 disapprove on the economy

91% of Asian Americans say the economy is a very or extremely important issue to them personally, yet three-quarters disapprove of the way Trump manages the economy—emphasizing the gap between concern and approval. Disapproval of Trump’s handling of the economy remains strong across most Asian subgroups. Vietnamese, Korean, and Indian Americans show some of the highest disapproval rates at 86%, 82%, and 81%, respectively.

These 3 same subgroups, Vietnamese, Korean, and Indian Americans, also show some of the largest declines in approval. Filipino Americans are somewhat more positive, with 36% approving of Trump’s economic performance — though a slight decline from 38% in April. Worth noting, approval among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) increased to 35% from 21%. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size for NHPIs.

Asian Americans shifted most on immigration

On immigration, 71% of AAPI adults disapprove of Trump’s policies, up from 58% in April. Two-thirds say his deportation policies have gone too far.

Reflecting that sentiment, approval of his handling of immigration fell from 42% in April to 28% in October. Filipino Americans again show the highest approval among subgroups at 46%, unchanged from 47% in April. The biggest declines were among “Other Asian” Americans (falling from 45% to 18%), Indian Americans (45% to 26%), and Vietnamese Americans (37% to 19%). An outlier, approval among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) increased to 42% from 30%. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size for NHPIs.

Leftward shift on the horizon

Asian Americans are an important voting bloc. In the 2024 election, 60% supported Democratic candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris, while 35% voted for Donald Trump — up from 30% in 2016, showing a modest rightward shift. This shift was noticeable among Asian Independents, Chinese Americans, and those aged 30–44. However, given the sharp recent declines in approval among these same groups, the Asian American electorate may likely swing leftward in the 2026 midterms.

Helpful Resources

AAPI Data | AP-NORC Survey September-October 2025 (AAPI Data / AP-NORC)

CNN Poll of Polls: Trump approval rating (CNN)

Tracking the presidency (The Economist)

Trump’s Unprecedented Actions Deepen Asymmetric Divides: Findings from the 2025 American Values Survey (PRRI)