Voter Approval for Trump’s Economic Policy Plummets to 17% Amid Cost-of-Living Crisis
New polling reveals only 17% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of living costs, with 65% blaming his specific policies for rising inflation.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, USA — President Donald Trump is facing significant political headwinds as public dissatisfaction with the economy intensifies ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that only 17% of American adults approve of his management of the cost of living.
The data reveals that 26% of respondents approve of his broader economic performance. Notably, 65% of Americans believe that the President’s own policies are the primary driver of high prices, rather than external factors, citing concerns over trade tariffs and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The political fallout is reaching even his own base. Robert Gault, a 66-year-old retired factory worker and Republican from Bradford, Pennsylvania, expressed his disappointment, stating, I was hoping it would be better or different, but it’s not really good. He added, “He said, ‘Make America Great Again.’ And I have not seen him do that.”
Financial anxiety is surging across the country. Approximately half of the population reports being extremely or very concerned about the price of gasoline and food, a sharp increase from the 39% recorded in July. Pedro Sanchez, a 52-year-old law enforcement worker from California who previously supported Trump, noted, Just the cost of everything is going up as a result of fuel. I used to have a lot more disposable income. I don’t have that any more.
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Since March 2025, Trump’s economic approval rating has dropped by 14 percentage points. Roughly 7 in 10 Americans now feel his handling of living expenses has underperformed expectations, a sentiment shared by nearly half of Republican voters. While 67% of Republicans still attribute high costs to factors outside the President’s control, 6 in 10 now disapprove of his management of these expenses.
Foreign policy and trade are also dragging down his approval numbers. Only 28% of the public approves of his handling of Iran, with 69% stating the war has not been worth the cost. Furthermore, 64% of Americans believe his recent tariff strategy has been excessive, and only 3 in 10 approve of his international trade approach.
, Trump maintains a 30% approval rating, with 6 in 10 Americans asserting that the nation is in a worse position than it was at the start of his second term. Border security remains his most resilient issue, with roughly half of the public approving of his performance in that area.
The current economic disapproval mirrors the 28% rating held by President Joe Biden in June 2022. However, public perception of accountability has shifted; while 44% blamed Biden’s policies for inflation in October 2022, a much larger majority of 65% now holds Trump directly responsible for current price levels.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
