President Donald Trump’s approval rating ticked up to 44% this week, according to a new YouGov/Economist poll. At the time when the result was released, Vice President JD Vance was making the headlines by declaring the end of “Operation Chokepoint 2.0” and promising to tear down regulatory barriers for the crypto industry at his speech at the Bitcoin 2025.

Trump’s Approval: A Modest Rise Amid Ongoing Disapproval

The latest survey showed that Trump has a 44% approval rating, with a 52% approval rating. Among registered voters, 46% approve of Trump's second term as president, while disapproval remains steady at 52%.

The poll has showed a 1% increase in Trump's overall approval rating.

On the same day Vice President JD Vance was speaking at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, where he reiterated the administration's commitment to dismantling what he called the “weaponization of federal regulations” against the crypto sector.

“We prioritize eliminating the rules, the red tape, and the lawfare that we saw aimed at crypto by our predecessors.To put it simply, Operation Chokepoint 2.0 is dead and it is not coming back under the Trump administration.”

Regulatory Shift: SEC Drops Lawsuits, Launches Crypto Task Force

Under Trump's administration, the SEC has dropped several high-profile lawsuits against major crypto players, including Ripple, OpenSea, and Coinbase.

The agency has also formed a Crypto Task Force to gather public input and shape a new regulatory framework for digital assets.

Despite the regulatory shift, Trump has faced heightened scrutiny over his ties to the crypto industry. Democratic lawmakers and ethics watchdogs have raised alarms about his recent gala dinner for top $TRUMP meme coin investors at Trump National Golf Club, questioning whether foreign entities may have used the event to gain influence.

Critics argue that the dinner, which required significant crypto investments for entry, could violate ethics rules and the Constitution’s emoluments clause. Trump’s team maintains that the event was personal and not official White House business.

Meanwhile, Trump Media & Technology Group announced plans to raise $2.5 billion to buy Bitcoin, further cementing the Trump family’s deep involvement in the crypto sector.

The move has sparked debate over potential conflicts of interest, but it also underscores the administration’s determination to position the U.S. as a global leader in digital assets.