WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans’ approval of Congress has fallen to 10%, barely above its all-time low of 9%, while disapproval has climbed to 86%, tying the record high for the institution.
Three of the five peaks in disapproval since 1974 coincided with a government shutdown or the threat of one. These include the current Department of Homeland Security shutdown, now in its 10th week, the fall 2013 closure and a near-shutdown in 2015. Disapproval also hit the high point in December 2011 and February 2012 amid prolonged disputes over federal spending and the budget. The longest federal government shutdown, which occurred last fall, resulted in a high congressional disapproval rating, but it did not quite reach the record high.
Beyond the ongoing DHS funding impasse, congressional disapproval in Gallup's April 1-15 poll may reflect Republicans’ frustration over Congress not passing legislation, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House in 2025 and would require citizenship documentation to register to vote. Also, broader tensions over war powers related to the U.S. conflict with Iran, the effects of high gas prices, and ethics scandals involving two members of Congress that led to their resignations as the polling period was drawing to a close may be souring public opinion further.
Congress’ approval ratings have been mostly underwater since 1974, averaging 28% approval and 65% disapproval. More recently, approval has remained below 30% for most of the past five years, with sustained stretches in the teens. The all-time high came in October 2001, when approval reached 84% in the weeks following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Congress’ Approval Has Fallen Sharply Since Spring 2025
Focusing on the most recent data, Americans’ approval of the Republican-led 119th Congress started at 17% in January 2025, climbed to 29% after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, and peaked at 31% in March 2025. Approval fell sharply during and after the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history that began on Oct. 1. Ratings have settled into the low-to-mid teens since then. Disapproval was 76% at the start of the Congress and dropped to a low of 63% in spring 2025 before climbing steadily to its current 86%.
Republicans have driven most of the recent decline, with a sharp drop in their latest approval rating of Congress after surging to 63% in March 2025. By contrast, Democrats have consistently rated the current Congress poorly, and independents’ views have been relatively stable at a low level. Currently, 11% of independents and 3% of Democrats — essentially the same as the 2% record low for the group in August — approve of the job Congress is doing.
Bottom Line
Public sentiment toward Congress is as negative as it has been in Gallup’s trend. Congress has weathered periods of deep public disapproval before, including in the months surrounding the 2013 shutdown, and approval has at times recovered relatively quickly once conditions changed.
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Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download).
