From June to September, the percentage of Republicans who said the country was headed in the wrong direction shot up from 29% to 51%, according to a new AP NORC poll
Results were released Friday. Per AP NORC, 1,183 adults participated in the poll conducted from Sept. 11 through Sept. 15, the days following conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder during an appearance at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, has been identified as the alleged shooter.
Extensive public discourse about Kirk, his sometimes-controversial views, extremism on both the left and right in the U.S., gun control, political violence and more was spurred by the tragic shooting. Many people scrolling social media on Sept. 10 also saw graphic video from the scene of the bullet hitting Kirk’s neck and a fountain of blood pouring out.
Kirk, 31, was popular among young conservatives and often visited college campuses to engage in discourse at his signature “Prove Me Wrong” tents. AP NORC’s poll found that Republicans under age 45 are more likely than older Republicans to view the country as “off track” at 61% to 43%. Republican women were also more likely than men to share that view at 60% to 43%.
Overall, the percentage of Americans who think the country is on the wrong track jumped from 62% to 75% between June and September. AP NORC noted that “the vast majority of Democrats have felt the country is headed in the wrong direction since [President] Donald Trump won the election in 2024.”
As for how Trump fared in the recent poll, results show that his approval rating was at 39% and his disapproval rating was at 60%, with views on his handling of issues remaining very partisan. Through the discourse following Kirk’s murder, many Americans are still concerned about the economy and Trump’s tariff plan, with many feeling that the president’s tariffs have gone too far, including a third of Republicans.
Polling aggregates from The Economist and Real Clear Politics also showed that Trump’s approval rating slipped over the past week.
“Many adults remain dissatisfied with their political leaders – including both parties, the president, and the vice president,” AP NORC added.