Americans believe that Trump is more erratic than ever, study finds

A significant majority of Americans, including a notable portion of Republican voters, believe President Donald Trump has become erratic with age, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The six-day survey, which concluded on Monday, was released just ahead of the 79-year-old president’s annual State of the Union address to Congress, following a month marked by his angry reprimands of lawmakers and judges.

Overall, 61 per cent of respondents described President Trump as having "become erratic with age." This sentiment was particularly strong among Democrats, with 89 per cent agreeing, and among independents at 64 per cent. Even within his own party, 30 per cent of Republicans shared this view. The White House did not provide a comment when approached.

Despite these concerns, President Trump’s overall approval ratings have remained largely stable in recent months. The latest poll indicated 40 per cent approval for his performance, a slight two-point increase from earlier in the month. While his term began with a higher approval of 47 per cent, his standing has consistently hovered within a point or two of its current level since April.

The poll also highlighted a broader national concern regarding the age of US political leadership. A substantial 79 per cent of respondents agreed that "elected officials in Washington, D.C., are too old to represent most Americans." The average age in the US Senate is approximately 64, while in the House of Representatives, it stands at 58. Democrats were marginally more inclined to advocate for younger politicians, with 58 per cent suggesting that top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, 75, was too old for government service.

President Trump, who returned to office in January 2025 at the age of 78, holds the distinction of being the oldest president on inauguration day in history. He is set to turn 80 in June. Since his return, his administration has introduced new policies at a rapid pace, including sweeping tariffs on imports from numerous countries and the deployment of masked federal agents to address unauthorised immigration.

Reuters

His public remarks have frequently adopted an angry tone, such as last week when he expressed being "absolutely ashamed" after the conservative-leaning US Supreme Court invalidated many of his tariffs. He subsequently reinstated new tariffs under a different legal authority. In November, he controversially labelled Democratic lawmakers as "traitors" deserving of execution for urging military members to refuse illegal orders.

The issue of age played a significant role in the 2024 presidential election, which President Trump won partly due to widespread perceptions that his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, had experienced a decline in mental acuity during his time in office. Biden concluded his tenure at 82, making him the oldest president in US history – a record President Trump is on track to surpass.

The February poll also revealed a decline in the perception of President Trump’s mental sharpness. Only 45 per cent of respondents described him as "mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges," a decrease from 54 per cent in a September 2023 Reuters/Ipsos poll.

While 81 per cent of Republicans continue to view the president as sharp, this figure has remained largely unchanged since 2023. However, among Democrats, the share who saw him as capable of handling challenges fell from 29 per cent to 19 per cent, and among independents, it dropped from 53 per cent to 36 per cent.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, surveying 4,638 US adults nationwide, and carries a margin of error of two percentage points.