Map Shows Donald Trump Approval Rating in States Getting Economic Boost - Newsweek

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is underwater in all eight states identified for major economic investments recently announced by his administration, including Texas, Tennessee and Iowa.

The approval rating data is from Civiqs' rolling online tracker, based on 134,051 responses from registered voters collected between January 20, 2025, and October 3, 2026.

The states are set to benefit from a series of major investments announced by the Trump administration, including a $200 billion strategic investment package from South Korea and a $15 billion steel project in Iowa.

Newsweek contacted the White House for comment on Monday.

Less than a month before the November midterms, Trump’s approval rating is negative even in states where his administration has announced major economic investments.

The investment plans are still at varying stages of development, with some projects yet to be finalized, meaning the economic benefits Trump is touting have yet to materialize.

While presidential approval ratings are not a direct measure of how voters will cast their ballots, they offer a snapshot of the political climate heading into the midterms. For Republicans competing in closely watched races, Trump’s standing in their states could shape how they campaign and how closely they align themselves with the president.

Trump’s approval rating is underwater in Alaska, despite the state being set to benefit from a major energy investment announced by the administration.

Civiqs shows 54 percent of Alaska voters disapprove of his job performance, compared with 39 percent who approve. This gives him a net rating of minus 15.

Trump carried Alaska by 13 points in the 2024 presidential election, but his net approval rating has consistently remained negative in the state since last September.

The president announced plans for South Korea to invest $54 billion in an LNG project in Alaska, along with billions more in energy investments. However, the plan’s future was thrown into uncertainty after Seoul said it had not committed to the Alaska project.

Trump defended the announcement on Friday, saying he had not “jumped the gun” and that if South Korea did not want to participate, he would “just charge them more,” referring to U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods.

Trump’s approval rating is also negative in Iowa, where a $15 billion steel plant has been announced as part of a major new investment.

According to Civiqs, 55 percent of Iowa voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared with 36 percent approving, giving him a net rating of minus 19.

Trump announced last week that the Minnesota-based Mesabi Metallics will build what is expected to become the largest steel plant in U.S. history in Iowa.

The project is expected to create 1,750 permanent jobs in Iowa, a White House official said, per CBS News.

Trump won Iowa by more than 13 points in 2024, but his approval rating in the state has been underwater since May of last year.

Trump’s approval rating is particularly weak in Minnesota, which is set to supply the iron ore for the major new steel plant planned in neighboring Iowa.

According to Civiqs, 64 percent of Minnesota voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared with 28 percent who approve, giving him a net rating of minus 35.

Trump lost Minnesota to Kamala Harris in 2024, and his approval rating has remained negative in the state throughout his second term, according to Civiqs.

An Iowa steel plant announced last week that it will use iron ore from a new mine in Nashwauk, Minnesota, which will be the state’s first new iron ore mine in 50 years. The project is expected to provide about 350 jobs in Minnesota’s Iron Range, Mesabi Metallics said.

Trump’s approval rating is also underwater in historically red Texas.

According to Civiqs, 57 percent of Texas voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 36 percent approve, giving him a net rating of minus 21.

Texas is set to benefit from a $22.3 billion combined-cycle gas-fired power plant backed by South Korea, which Trump announced last week along with other energy investments.

The Project Star facility, to be located in Encinal, Texas, is intended to supply power directly to AI data centers.

Trump won Texas by more than 13 points in 2024, but his approval ratings have been underwater in the state since May of last year, per Civiqs polling.

Texas is also home to one of this year's closely watched Senate races, with Republican nominee Ken Paxton facing Democratic state Representative James Talarico.

While unveiling details of the South Korean energy investments alongside Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick named Ohio as one of the states set to benefit.

Lutnick said that a combined $120 billion investment would go towards building eight “gigantic nuclear power plants” across the country, naming Ohio, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kentucky as potential locations.

In Ohio, 55 percent of voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance, compared with 38 percent who approve. He has a net approval rating of minus 18.

Trump won Ohio by about 11 points in 2024. The state is currently home to one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 midterms, with Republican Senator Jon Husted facing former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.

Tennessee is one of the states where Trump's approval rating comes closest to breaking even among those set to receive investment.

Civiqs shows 47 percent of Tennessee voters disapproving of Trump, compared with 45 percent approving, leaving him with a net approval rating of minus 2 percentage points.

Trump’s net approval rating remained positive in Tennessee until late August, per Civiqs.

Trump is also underwater in South Carolina, although by a narrower margin than in many of the other states set to receive investment.

Civiqs shows 51 percent of South Carolina voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, while 42 percent approve, a net approval rating of minus 9 percentage points.

Trump carried South Carolina by more than 17 points in 2024.

Kentucky was also among the states named by Lutnick as a potential location for the planned nuclear projects under the South Korea investment package.

Civiqs found that 51 percent of Kentucky voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance, compared with 39 percent who approve, giving him a net approval rating of minus 12.

Trump won Kentucky by more than 30 points in 2024.

With early voting already underway or set to begin soon in several states, upcoming polling will more clearly indicate whether these investment commitments are shifting voter sentiment or whether Trump's approval ratings remain a headwind for Republican candidates heading into Election Day.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Gray R. Thomas