The surge in Congress’s approval rating was driven by Republican support as the GOP took full control of both the House and Senate.
Congressional job approval among Americans has surged to its highest level in nearly four years, according to a new Gallup poll, conducted as President Donald Trump continues to take an unprecedented number of executive actions in a wide array of policy areas, including immigration enforcement and downsizing government.
Since early January, Americans’ approval of Congress has climbed 12 percentage points, reaching 29 percent—the highest rating recorded since May 2021, according to a recent Gallup survey published on Feb. 19. For more than two years prior, congressional approval had remained below 20 percent.
The poll was conducted between Feb. 3 and 16, roughly a month after the 119th Congress convened on Jan. 3, with Republicans gaining full control of both the House and Senate for the first time since 2019.
The increase in Congress’s approval rating is largely attributed to a dramatic 42-point surge among Republicans, who now register a 53 percent approval of Congress. This shift likely reflects enthusiasm following the election of more Trump-aligned Republicans to both chambers. Independents also registered an increase in approval, rising by nine points to 26 percent. By contrast, approval among Democratic fell by 18 points to just 5 percent.
Historically, the last time Republican approval of Congress exceeded its current level was in August 2005, when GOP control of both chambers pushed their approval to 57 percent. More recently, when Republicans controlled Congress and the White House between 2017 and 2019, their highest recorded approval was 50 percent in February 2017. Over the entire period, Republican approval of Congress averaged 29 percent.
Similarly, when Democrats controlled both chambers and the presidency between 2021 and 2023, their approval of Congress peaked at 61 percent in 2021, averaging 40 percent across that period. A comparable pattern was observed from 2009 to 2011, when Democratic control saw congressional approval among their party reach 63 percent in May 2009, with an overall average of 40 percent.
By Tom Ozimek
