Albanese More Unpopular Than Trump? The Polls Say It’s Closer Than You Think! By James Reed
Recent opinion polls have sparked the claim that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is now more unpopular than President Donald Trump. In a world where both leaders face intense scrutiny amid global crises (the Iran conflict, fuel price spikes, and domestic economic pressures), the comparison highlights deep voter dissatisfaction on both sides of the Pacific.
Here's the latest data as of late March/early April 2026:
Albanese's Numbers (Australian Polls)
Newspoll (late March): Albanese approval 39%, disapproval 57% → net -18.
RedBridge (late March): Favourable 29%, unfavourable 46% → net -17 (some polls show him as low as net -19).
Other recent surveys (Fox & Hedgehog, Resolve) put his net approval in the -16 to -19 range, with disapproval consistently in the mid-to-high 50s.
Albanese has been underwater for a long time, and recent fuel crisis fallout from the Iran situation has not helped.
Trump's Numbers (US Aggregates & Polls)
Nate Silver's weighted aggregate (as of March 31, 2026): net -16.7 (a record low for his second term), with approval around 40-41% and disapproval in the mid-50s.
Individual polls vary: some show him as low as 33% approval (with 62% disapproval), others in the low 40s.
Net approval has dipped sharply in recent weeks amid the Iran war and fuel price concerns, but it has fluctuated between roughly -13 and -20 depending on the pollster.
Verdict on the claim: Albanese's net approval (around -17 to -19) is similar to or slightly worse than Trump's current aggregate (-16.7). In some recent snapshots, Albanese does edge out Trump in unpopularity. However, Trump's numbers have been volatile, and he often polls better among his base than Albanese does among Labor's core supporters right now.
Why Both Leaders Are Struggling
This isn't just random bad luck. Both face versions of the same underlying pressures we've discussed in recent Alor.org blog posts:
Cost-of-living and energy shocks: Soaring petrol and diesel prices hit households hard. In Australia, voters blame a mix of global events and domestic policy; in the US, Trump wears the direct fallout from the Iran conflict.
Vague background anxiety: People feel the future is uncertain — housing unaffordability, sluggish wage growth, infrastructure strain from population pressures, and a sense that elites aren't delivering.
Perceived disconnect: Albanese's government is seen by many as out of touch on everyday issues (fuel, migration-driven housing demand, skills "shortages" used as immigration cover). Trump's blunt style energises his base but alienates moderates, especially during foreign policy flare-ups.
Social entropy at work: Low native birth rates, cultural fragmentation, and elite insistence on high migration as the default fix feed a quiet loss of confidence. When leaders appear powerless against global forces or unwilling to prioritise their own citizens first, approval tanks.
Trump's unpopularity in Australia is even more extreme (often net -50 or worse in local polls), which ironically gives Albanese some breathing room — voters can dislike Trump more than their own PM!
The Bigger Picture
The fact that both the American president and the Australian prime minister are deeply unpopular at the same time reveals a broader Western pattern. Voters across democracies are restless. They sense a loss of control over borders, energy security, living costs, and cultural continuity. "Skills shortage" excuses for high migration, two-tier multiculturalism, and reluctance to put family first (as Tony Abbott argues) all contribute to the malaise.
Albanese being as (or more) unpopular than Trump is not a badge of honour for either side — it's a warning. When incumbent leaders in major democracies hover in the -15 to -20 net approval zone amid fuel crises and geopolitical tension, it signals that the old playbook of open borders, elite consensus, and managed decline is wearing thin.
Australia still has advantages: a stronger starting position on energy resources and the chance to pivot toward genuine self-reliance (domestic fertiliser production, family-supporting policies, selective migration). But if Albanese's government continues treating high immigration as the cure-all while native birth rates stagnate, the discontent will only deepen.
The polls are a mirror. Albanese may be slightly more underwater right now, but Trump's volatility shows how quickly sentiment can shift. The real test for both is whether they respond with realism — prioritising their own citizens' security, prosperity, and confidence — or keep doubling down on the policies fuelling the unrest.
In an age of vague anxiety and eroding trust, unpopularity this deep is rarely just about one leader. It's often about a nation sensing it's losing its way.
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2026/03/albanese-more-unpopular-than-trump/
