Wertheimer Political Report, April 23, 2026
DEMOCRACY 21
President Trump and Congress are doing extremely poorly with the American people, according to three new polls.
Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling his job as president, which is down from 42% at the beginning of his second term. Trump’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 30% in April from 38% in a March AP-NORC poll. A similarly low share of U.S. adults, 32%, approve of the president’s leadership on Iran, which is unchanged since last month.
Overall, 37% of adults approve of Trump’s performance as president, while 63% disapprove — including 50% who said they disapprove strongly — putting his job rating at the lowest point of his second term in NBC News Decision Desk polling. Two-thirds of respondents also disapproved of Trump’s handling of inflation and the Iran conflict.
Gallup: 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.
TRUMPWATCH 2.0
Inside Trump’s Effort to “Take Over” the Midterm Elections.
“Safeguards Destroyed: In advance of this year’s midterm elections, President Donald Trump has systematically demolished federal guardrails that prevented him from overturning the 2020 election.” – ProPublica
A New Era and New Leadership: The Generals Who Are Running Iran.
“The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ushered in a new form of collective leadership in the country, with more power for the Revolutionary Guards.” – New York Times
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas blasts progressivism as threat to America.
“He said values in the Declaration of Independence have ‘fallen out of favor.'” – ABC News
How Trump Is Sabotaging Himself on the Federal Reserve.
“The president wants Jerome Powell out of the way. He’s making that outcome less and less likely by the day.” – Politico
F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend.
“The bureau said it is not pursuing a case, but the scrutiny is an example of the Trump administration weighing whether to criminalize routine news gathering.” – New York Times
DOJ’s Anti-Anti-Racism Indictment Has Major Holes.
“A close look at the accusations against the Southern Poverty Law Center.” – The Bulwark
Who owns presidential records? Trump’s Justice Department says it’s him.
“The Trump administration asserts that a nearly 50-year-old law requiring the preservation of presidential records is unconstitutional. Historians warn important papers could be destroyed.” – Houston Public Media
Trump avoided punishments for his post-2020 abuses, but many of his lawyers did not.
“For the attorneys who helped fuel the president’s efforts to remain in office, the consequences have been severe. Take John Eastman, for example.” – MS Now
Marjorie Taylor Greene Claims Trump Had “Unimaginable” Response To Death Threats Against Her Son.
“The president’s text message was ‘like a nail in the coffin’ and ‘tells me exactly who Donald Trump is,’ the former lawmaker told Piers Morgan.” – HuffPost
Trump Pardoned a Nursing Home Owner Who Owed Almost $19 Million to a Grieving Family.
“Stories about pardons are often about presidential power. But what about people on the other side of that grace? The Coulson family may never receive millions from a wrongful death lawsuit it won years ago.” – ProPublica
Trump fought to keep the ballroom fundraising contract secret. Here’s what’s in it.
“The agreement governing hundreds of millions in private donations was kept secret until a watchdog group sued and a judge ordered it disclosed.” – Washington Post
MEANWHILE, ON CAPITOL HILL
Budget resolution to unlock immigration funds adopted in Senate. Measure adopted 50-48 after overnight “vote-a-rama.”– Roll Call
RFK Jr. says NIH cuts are ‘painful,’ won’t commit to backing CDC director’s vaccine guidance. The hearing marked the final of four budget hearings before House lawmakers. – ABC News
Even worse than Trump: disapproval for Republican-led Congress reaches 86%. There’s one thing the vast majority of Americans can agree on: This Congress sure is awful.
– MS Now
4 GOP senators vote against adding SAVE America Act to budget package. – The Hill
GOP senator grills RFK Jr. on abortion, measles and CDC leadership at health hearing. The hearing featured Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., grilling HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his reign. – MS Now
MONEY IN POLITICS, VOTING, ELECTION & OTHER RELATED INFO
Republicans have one midterm edge, and it’s worth $600 million. Even as the party faces a worrisome political environment and its candidates are outraised by Democratic ones, powerful Republican groups and super PACs have built a colossal advantage. – New York Times
GOP, Democratic super PACs announce over $400M in ad reservations. – The Hill
Republicans are worried the redistricting fight is backfiring. After a victory in Virginia, some analysts say Democrats may pick up more seats in Congress following the nationwide redistricting battle. – Wall Street Journal
Talarico leads a Democratic cash surge: 7 takeaways from 2026 filings. Democrats in key Senate races out-raised their Republican rivals, but super PACs on the right are poised to play a powerful role in the midterms, new campaign finance filings showed. – New York Times
