The day before President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history to a polarized electorate, a new poll revealed growing doubts about his stability, even among members of his own party.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which concluded on Monday, found that 61% of Americans would describe Trump as “becoming erratic with age.” About 89% of Democrats, 30% of Republicans and 64% of independents described the president this way.

Only 45% of respondents said they would describe Trump as “mentally sharp and able to meet challenges,” down from 54% in a September 2023 poll taken more than a year before he was re-elected for a second term.

The survey, which was conducted online between Feb. 18 and Feb. 23, measured the attitudes of 4,638 American adults.

When Reuters asked for comment on the poll, White House spokesman Davis Ingle criticized the results as an example of a “false and desperate” narrative, while praising Trump’s “acuity, unmatched energy and historic approachability” compared to his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

On February 24, President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in American history.
On February 24, President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in American history.

Bloomberg via Getty Images

While other recent polls have hinted at a larger drop in Trump’s approval rating, the survey found that 40% approved of the president’s performance, an increase of 2% from earlier this month. The president’s overall approval has remained within one or two points of its current level since April 2025, according to Reuters/Ipsos research.

Scrutiny on Trump’s health and physical stamina has increased in recent months, as evidenced by public reaction after he apparently had difficulty staying awake at several recent meetings at the White House. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, the 79-year-old president repeatedly confused Greenland and Iceland, raising questions about his mental acuity.

However, several prominent Republicans have reacted to the speech with grandiose claims about Trump’s well-being.

“He can work harder, has a better memory, more stamina and more energy than the average mortal,” White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told New York Magazine last month. “The headline of your story should be ‘The Superhuman President.’”

Appearing on “The Mom View” in December, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles also defended the president’s work habits, saying her boss “works 24/7” and never sleeps.

He also sought to calm Republicans’ concerns about this year’s midterm elections by assuring them that Trump would hit the campaign trail strongly.

“I haven’t fully told him yet, but he will campaign again as if it were 2024,” he said. “He makes a difference and is certainly a participation machine.”