Poll: Americans are anxious, pessimistic and deeply unhappy with Trump ahead of the midterms

Weeks ahead of Election Day, 71% of U.S. adults think the country is on the “wrong track.” It’s the highest share yet in President Donald Trump’s second term, illustrating the grim national mood his party faces in the midterm elections, according to a new NBC News Decision Desk Poll powered by SurveyMonkey. Poll respondents expressed deep unhappiness over economic conditions and widespread distrust toward both major political parties, but Trump and Republicans bore the brunt. For the first time in Trump’s second term, the poll has found the “right track” sinking into the 20s. A majority of Americans view the president’s administration as uniquely corrupt, even as they look skeptically at corruption in both parties.

And they say Trump is failing to improve their material financial conditions. Trump’s approval rating slipped to 34% among U.S. adults, a second-term low in this poll, while his disapproval rating rose to 66%. In another warning sign, the poll found a majority (51%) of respondents “strongly disapprove” of his performance, a second-term high. Trump’s approval rating is slightly better among registered voters, 39%-61%. Registered voters said they prefer Democrats over Republicans to control Congress by a 55%-45% spread, another sign that the GOP’s House and Senate majorities are in danger in the Nov. 3 election. Yet despite the sinking ratings for the party in