White Evangelicals Only Faith Group With Majority Support For Trump
With President Donald Trump’s approval rating at its lowest this term, white Evangelical Protestants voice more support for him than any other religious group surveyed, the Pew Research Center announced.
Well over half, 58 percent, of white evangelical Protestants said they approve of Trump’s job performance, with 40 percent voicing disapproval. But Trump’s approval has fallen among white evangelical Protestants since his term began, when 78 percent approved.
“Since the beginning of his second term, Trump’s approval rating has dropped significantly among all U.S. adults,” Pew said of its analysis. “The downward trend is evident in every religious group.”
Trump’s approval rating fell from 58 percent to 38 percent among all Protestants, from 57 percent to 37 percent among white nonevangelical Protestants, and from 18 percent to 7 percent among Black Protestants.
Other groups showing declines were white Catholics, down from 59 percent to 39 percent; all Catholics, 47 percent to 30 percent; Nones (nothing in particular), 41 to 21; Hispanic Catholics, 31 to 18; all religiously unaffiliated, 33 to 17; agnostics, 22 to 12, and atheists, 17 to 8.
Overall, 68 percent of U.S. adults disapprove of Trump’s performance, with 30 percent saying they approve.
Pew’s findings are based on a study conducted Sept. 28-Oct. 4 of 5,062 U.S. adults, including 3,917 registered voters.
In races for the U.S. House of Representatives – and among all registered voters polled – white evangelical Protestants and white Catholics voiced majority support for Republican candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Protestants were close behind, with 49 percent approving of Republicans.
Nearly three-fourths of white evangelical Protestants ,73 percent, favor Republican House candidates, with 12 percent supporting Democrats and 16 percent undecided or supporting a third-party candidate. Half of white Catholics favor Republican House candidates, with 32 percent supporting Democrats and 18 percent undecided or supporting third-party candidates.
In every other group, more registered voters favor Democratic House candidates than Republican candidates, with some undecided or supporting a third party. Support for Democrats is highest among Black Protestants (74 percent), atheists (81 percent) and agnostics (75 percent).
Overall, 44 percent of registered voters approve of Democratic House candidates, 36 percent choose Republicans, and 20 percent are either undecided or supporting another candidate, Pew said.
Among other findings, researchers gauged much of Trump’s declining popularity among those who voted for the president in 2024. While 95 percent of his voters approved of him at the beginning of his current term, approval among those who elected him has fallen to 67 percent. Most notable declines were among Hispanics and younger voters, Pew said.
View Pew’s findings here and additional analysis here.
This article was originally published by Baptist Press.
Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.