A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released before Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech shows 55% of U.S. adults believe he is moving the country in the wrong direction—a 13-point increase compared to his first term, The Guardian reported Monday.

This sentiment is deeply polarized: 90% of Democrats feel the country has worsened over the past year, while 82% of Republicans believe it has improved.

Faith in the government’s system of checks and balances has also dropped significantly, falling from 43% in March 2025 to just 32% today.

Further dissatisfaction is reflected in a January Pew Research Center survey, where only 27% of adults supported most of Trump’s policies.

Notably, the president is losing ground within his own party; Republican confidence in his mental fitness for office fell from 75% to 66% over the last year, while those who believe he acts ethically dropped from 55% to 42%.