Survey Indicates 'Consistent Signs' of Voter Regret as Donald Trump Condemns Published 'Fake Polls'

A new survey published Monday by the University of Massachusetts Amherst indicates that approximately one in six Donald Trump voters would reconsider their 2024 election choice, highlighting growing signs of voter dissatisfaction as the president's national approval rating falls to 32 per cent.

The findings come amid continued concerns about inflation and the administration's war with Iran, with the poll showing declining confidence in Trump among some members of his 2024 voting coalition.

Consistent Signs of Voter Regret Emerge

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found increasing signs of dissatisfaction among Trump's 2024 voters. According to the survey, around 15 per cent said they might or would vote differently, or would not vote at all, if they had the opportunity to make their 2024 decision again.

Alexander Theodoridis, the poll's co-director, said the findings showed a continuing erosion of confidence among some Trump voters.

'There are no takebacks in electoral politics, but around 15 per cent of Trump voters now tell us they might or would vote differently or not vote at all if they had it to do over again,' he said.

Theodoridis added that the figures do not represent a mass exodus from Trump's coalition, but said the erosion could have been significant in the relatively close 2024 election.

Donald Trump Dismisses 'Fake Polls'

The White House pointed to a social media post Trump published on Sunday in response to the poll findings.

'THE FAKE POLLS USED BY OUR CROOKED MEDIA ARE OUT OF CONTROL, AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT,' Trump wrote.

The UMass data, however, shows a decline in confidence among Trump voters. Only 58 per cent said they were very confident they had made the right choice in 2024, down from 74 per cent in April 2025.

The proportion of Trump voters reporting mixed feelings about their vote rose to 9 per cent, more than double the 4 per cent recorded in April 2025. Those who said they had some regrets and might choose differently remained at 3 per cent, while another 3 per cent said they regretted their vote and would vote differently if they could.

The proportion saying they would rather not have voted rose from 1 per cent in April 2025 to 6 per cent in August 2026.

Despite these signs of erosion, most Trump voters said they would still support him if given the opportunity to redo the 2024 election. Eighty-four per cent said they would vote for Trump again, while 2 per cent would choose Kamala Harris, 7 per cent a third-party candidate and 7 per cent would not vote.

Economic Concerns Add to Trump's Political Challenges

Approval among self-identified Republicans has also declined. Trump's job-performance approval among Republicans fell to 75 per cent in August, down from 89 per cent in April 2025, 84 per cent in July 2025 and 81 per cent in March 2026.

Among the broader electorate, 14 per cent strongly approved of Trump's job performance, while 18 per cent somewhat approved. Overall, 32 per cent approved of his performance and 64 per cent disapproved.

The administration's handling of inflation remains a significant concern in the poll. Only 7 per cent of respondents said Trump had handled inflation very well.

According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, the Consumer Price Index increased 3.4 per cent over the 12 months ending in July 2026. When Trump took office in January 2025, annual CPI inflation stood at 3.0 per cent.

In related economic developments, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signalled on Friday that the central bank could raise interest rates if inflation does not move sufficiently towards its 2 per cent target.

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, increased 3.7 per cent over the year ending in July, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Foreign Policy Drives Further Disapproval

Beyond economic concerns, Trump's handling of Iran is also weighing on public sentiment. Only 10 per cent of respondents said Trump was handling Iran very well, down from 21 per cent in July 2025 and 16 per cent in March 2026.

The UMass poll, conducted from August 21 to 26, found that 68 per cent of Americans viewed Trump's handling of the war negatively.

The survey also found that 54 per cent disapproved of recent US military actions against Iran. The findings suggest that dissatisfaction with the administration extends beyond economic issues, with the Iran war becoming another significant source of public opposition to Trump's presidency.