The Trump job approval rating in California stands at 23% among California adults and 27% among likely voters in the latest available statewide survey from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), conducted September 4–10, 2026. The results indicate that President Donald Trump continues to face substantial opposition in the state as California voters prepare for the November 3 midterm elections.
The September survey also found that 80% of California adults believe the nation is generally moving in the wrong direction, highlighting widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s overall trajectory. Trump’s approval remains significantly lower than his disapproval among California residents, although his support varies considerably by political affiliation.
These findings provide the clearest recent statewide benchmark for understanding Trump’s standing with California voters. The figures below distinguish between California adults and likely voters, two groups that can have different levels of political engagement and voting intentions.
What Is Trump’s Job Approval Rating in California Right Now?
The latest verified statewide figures come from the September 2026 PPIC Statewide Survey, which examined Californians’ views on the president, Congress, the economy, and the country’s direction.
Here are the key numbers:
| Survey measure | California adults | Likely voters |
|---|---|---|
| Approve of Trump’s job performance | 23% | 27% |
| Disapprove of Trump’s job performance | Majority | Majority |
| Believe the nation is heading in the wrong direction | 79% | 77% |
The survey’s reported approval figures show that fewer than three in ten respondents approve of Trump’s performance as president. Likely voters are somewhat more supportive than the overall adult population, but approval remains below one-third in both groups.
The 79% figure for adults and 77% figure for likely voters refer to the direction-of-the-country question, not presidential disapproval. These are separate measures of public opinion and should not be confused.
The results also show why it is important to use a named poll rather than rely on an isolated percentage circulating online. Approval estimates can differ according to survey dates, sample composition, question wording, and methodology.
As of the latest verified statewide data available for this article, the September PPIC survey provides a clear reference point. A newer California-specific statewide job approval poll was not verified for this update.
How Has Trump’s Approval Rating Changed in California?
Trump’s approval rating in California has fluctuated during his political career, but recent statewide surveys show that his support remains limited.
The PPIC surveys provide a useful historical comparison:
| Survey period | Approval among California adults | Approval among likely voters |
|---|---|---|
| February 2025 | 29% | 33% |
| June 2025 | 29% | 34% |
| October 2025 | 26% | 33% |
| December 2025 | 25% | 29% |
| September 2026 | 23% | 27% |
These results show a gradual decline in approval over the period covered by the surveys. The September 2026 result represents a particularly low reading in the PPIC’s tracking of Trump’s presidential approval.
Comparisons should account for the timing of each survey and its methodology. Nevertheless, the overall pattern indicates that Trump’s standing in California has weakened rather than improved substantially since the beginning of his second term.
His approval among likely voters has also fallen from the levels recorded in the early months of 2025. That distinction matters because likely voters are more directly relevant to understanding the electorate that will participate in upcoming elections.
Why Do Many Californians Disapprove of Trump?
Several political and economic issues help explain the importance of Trump’s approval rating in California. The statewide polling provides evidence of widespread concern about the country’s direction and financial outlook, although it does not establish that every respondent disapproves for the same reason.
Economic uncertainty and the cost of living
Affordability remains a significant concern for California residents. Housing expenses, food prices, transportation costs, and other household bills influence how voters evaluate elected officials.
In the September 2026 PPIC survey, 76% of California adults expected bad financial times for the United States over the following 12 months. Only 22% expected good financial times.
Those expectations provide important context for presidential approval. When people feel uncertain about the economy, they may judge the administration by whether they believe its policies will improve their financial circumstances.
However, the survey does not establish that economic concerns alone caused Trump’s low approval rating.
Federal policy and the role of government
Trump’s approach to federal spending, immigration, tariffs, environmental regulation, and other policy areas has attracted different reactions from voters.
California’s political environment also differs from that of many Republican-leaning states. The state has a large Democratic electorate, and voters’ views on federal policy frequently reflect disagreements over the role of government and national priorities.
Some Californians support elements of Trump’s agenda, while others strongly oppose them. The statewide approval figure captures the overall balance of those views rather than agreement or disagreement with any single policy.
Concerns about the country’s direction
The September survey found that 79% of California adults believed the United States was heading in the wrong direction, compared with 20% who believed it was moving in the right direction.
This broad dissatisfaction helps explain the challenging political environment facing the administration in California. Still, opinions about the country’s direction and approval of the president are different measures, even when they are closely related.
Trump Approval Rating in California by Political Party
Political affiliation is one of the clearest factors associated with differences in Trump’s approval rating.
California’s Democratic voters generally express much stronger opposition to Trump than Republican voters. Independent voters also tend to be less supportive than Republicans.
The September 2026 PPIC survey reported the following findings about approval within the state’s political groups:
- Democrats: Approximately 94% disapprove of Trump.
- Independents: Approximately 78% disapprove of Trump.
- Republicans: Approximately 66% approve of Trump.
The figures demonstrate that California’s overall approval rating conceals considerable differences between political groups.
Republicans remain the president’s strongest base of support in the state, but their approval has also declined compared with earlier measurements. In February 2025, 84% of California Republicans approved of Trump’s job performance, according to PPIC polling.
The decline suggests that his standing among Republican Californians has weakened since the beginning of his second term. However, two-thirds approval within this group still represents substantial support.
Democrats, by contrast, remain overwhelmingly opposed to the president. Independents occupy an important position because their views are less consistently aligned with either major party.
These differences are relevant to the 2026 midterm elections, when candidates will compete for votes in congressional districts across California. They do not, by themselves, predict the outcome of any individual race.
What Do California Voters Think About the 2026 Midterm Elections?
Trump’s approval rating is drawing attention as the November 3, 2026, midterm elections approach.
California will play an important role in determining the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. The state has 52 congressional districts, making its results significant for both major parties.
The September PPIC survey found that likely voters preferred Democratic candidates over Republican candidates in their own House districts by 62% to 36%.
The survey also found that 58% of likely voters considered voting in the 2026 midterms more important than voting in previous midterm elections. Only 2% said it was less important to them.
These findings suggest that California voters are paying attention to the upcoming elections and that Democratic candidates have a substantial advantage in the statewide measure of congressional voting preference.
Nevertheless, presidential approval and congressional voting intentions should not be treated as interchangeable. Voters may disapprove of Trump but still evaluate congressional candidates according to their individual records, local priorities, and policy positions.
Similarly, support for a Democratic House candidate does not necessarily indicate that a voter has a negative opinion of every Republican candidate.
The election results will ultimately depend on voter turnout, individual contests, campaign developments, and other factors that cannot be determined from presidential approval polling alone.
How Does Trump’s California Approval Compare With the National Picture?
Trump’s approval rating in California is lower than the figures reported in many national polls.
National polling aggregates and individual surveys measure the opinions of Americans across states with different political, economic, and demographic characteristics. California’s electorate is more Democratic-leaning than the country as a whole, which helps explain why the state’s presidential approval numbers can differ from national estimates.
The distinction is important when interpreting headlines about Trump’s overall popularity.
A national approval rating describes public opinion across the United States. A California approval rating describes public opinion among residents of one state. Neither figure should be substituted for the other.
National surveys also differ in their field dates, sample sizes, and methodologies. For that reason, a reliable comparison requires examining the dates and definitions behind the reported figures rather than comparing percentages without context.
California’s September result shows particularly weak support for Trump within the state. It should not be interpreted as proof that the same percentage of Americans nationwide approve of his presidency.
How Reliable Is the Latest California Trump Approval Poll?
The September 2026 PPIC Statewide Survey was conducted from September 4 through September 10, 2026. It included 1,745 qualified California adult respondents and reported a margin of sampling error of approximately three percentage points for the overall adult sample at the 95% confidence level.
The survey used probability-based online panel sampling, with respondents participating in English or Spanish according to their preferences.
As with any public opinion poll, the results represent estimates rather than a complete count of every California resident’s views.
Several factors are important when interpreting the findings:
- Survey dates: Public opinion can change after a poll is completed.
- Sample composition: Results among all adults may differ from those among registered voters or likely voters.
- Margin of error: The reported sampling error describes uncertainty associated with the sample; it does not account for every possible source of survey error.
- Question wording: Asking about presidential job performance is different from asking about personal favorability or support for a specific policy.
- Political affiliation: Statewide results can conceal substantial differences between Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
Readers should therefore look for the latest survey date and the exact question asked before relying on an approval percentage.
The September survey is the latest verified California-specific statewide benchmark used in this article. The figures should not be described as a real-time measurement or as a poll conducted on October 14.
Latest Update on Trump’s Job Approval Rating in California
The latest available statewide evidence indicates that Trump faces significant opposition in California. The September 2026 PPIC survey recorded 23% approval among California adults and 27% among likely voters, while 76% of adults disapproved of his job performance.
The results also highlight a broader pattern of dissatisfaction with the nation’s direction and economic outlook. At the same time, Trump’s support remains considerably stronger among Republicans than among Democrats or independents.
As the November midterm elections approach, future polling may provide additional information about whether his standing changes. Until newer California-specific results are verified, the September survey remains the most useful reference point for evaluating his approval in the state.
Final Thoughts
The Trump job approval rating in California remains low, with fewer than three in ten adults approving of his presidential performance in the latest verified statewide survey. The gap between approval and disapproval, combined with substantial partisan differences, illustrates the political challenges facing the president in California ahead of the 2026 midterms.
What do you think about Trump’s approval rating in California? Share your thoughts in the comments and stay updated for the latest polling developments.