A run of national polls suggests President Donald Trump is facing persistent public dissatisfaction over his handling of the U.S. economy—along with early signs of softening support even within his Republican base.
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, the surveys point to mounting strain on one of Trump’s most central political claims: economic stewardship.
The White House argues Trump “inherited the worst inflation crisis in a generation from Joe Biden’s incompetence” and says the administration “rapidly cooled inflation to a 2.5 percent annualized rate.”
A spokesman previously told Newsweek: “Turning the Biden economic disaster around has informed nearly every action the Trump administration has taken since Day One.”
Why It Matters
The results underscore a potential vulnerability for Trump and Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms: weakening public confidence on the economy, inflation, and day-to-day affordability. If those concerns persist, they could affect party unity, shape legislative fights in Congress, and influence the battle for control of the House and Senate.
What To Know
Trump’s second-term pitch was built around economic revival. Instead, multiple recent polls indicate many Americans remain unhappy with economic conditions—particularly inflation and the cost of living.
1. AP-NORC: Lowest Economic Approval Seen in This Polling Series
An Associated Press-NORC poll conducted December 4—8, 2025 found that 31 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 40 percent in March. The pollster said this is the lowest economic approval it has recorded for Trump across his first or second term.
Among Republicans, the poll reported a drop as well—from 78 percent approval in March to 69 percent in December. The survey included 1,146 adults and carried a four-point margin of error.
The poll also found two-thirds of Americans describe the economy as “poor,” a view the survey said was unchanged from Biden’s final year in office. It further reported that 48 percent of Americans are cutting back on nonessential holiday spending and that 87 percent say grocery prices are higher than usual. Lower-income households, the poll suggested, are feeling the pressure most, with more respondents delaying major purchases or reducing essential spending.
2. Fox News: Voters Rate Economy Worse Than Under Biden
A separate Fox News poll conducted November 14–17 among 1,005 registered voters found 76 percent rate the U.S. economy negatively under Trump, up from 70 percent at the end of the Biden administration.
In that survey, respondents placed more blame on Trump than Biden by roughly a two-to-one margin (62 percent versus 32 percent).
3. NBC News: Signs of Slippage Inside the MAGA Base
An NBC News Decision Desk poll conducted by SurveyMonkey reported Trump’s overall approval at 42 percent, with 58 percent disapproval. The survey, which questioned 20,252 adults online from November 20 to December 8, listed inflation and cost-of-living pressures among respondents’ top concerns.
The poll also found 70 percent of MAGA Republicans strongly approve of Trump—an eight-point drop since April—suggesting some erosion in intensity even among his strongest supporters.
4. Reuters/Ipsos: Cost of Living Remains a Weak Spot
A Reuters/Ipsos online poll of 4,434 respondents, conducted December 3–8 with a margin of error of two percentage points, put Trump’s overall approval at 41 percent, slightly higher than in November.
But the poll showed Trump’s approval on cost-of-living issues at 31 percent, even after a jump from 26 percent the prior month. The survey noted affordability remains the dominant concern for many voters despite the administration emphasizing moves like tariff rollbacks and tax cuts.
5. The Economist/YouGov: Net Negative on Economic Management
The Economist’s tracker places Trump’s net approval at -16 percent and reports Americans are “especially dissatisfied” on inflation and economic management.
The tracker indicates ratings that briefly improved after inauguration later turned sharply negative, with the write-up tying the slide to tariff hikes and ongoing affordability concerns. In the same tracking, inflation/prices (23 percent) and jobs and the economy (15 percent) were cited as leading voter concerns.
6. Harvard CAPS/Harris: Inflation Still the Top Voter Worry
A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll conducted online December 2–4, 2025 among 2,204 registered voters found Trump’s overall approval at 47 percent after the shutdown. Even so, the poll showed his weakest area is inflation, where he received 40 percent approval.
The survey also reported that 59 percent of voters identify affordability as their top economic concern—suggesting that improving topline indicators may not be translating into a stronger sense of financial security.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesman Kush Desai told Newsweek last week: “President Trump and every member of his Administration are clear-eyed about the fact that Americans continue to reel from the lingering effects of Joe Biden’s generational economic crisis.
“Turning the Biden economic disaster around has informed nearly every action the Trump administration has taken since Day One, from unleashing American energy to cut gas prices to signing historic drug pricing deals to cut costs for American patients.
“Much work remains, and every member of the Trump administration continues to focus on recreating the historic job, wage, and economic growth that Americans enjoyed during President Trump’s first term.”
Desai also previously told Newsweek: “President Trump inherited the worst inflation crisis in a generation from Joe Biden’s incompetence, and his Administration has rapidly cooled inflation to a 2.5 percent annualized rate. Americans can count on inflation continuing to fall and real wages continuing to rise.”
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “When will I get credit for having created, with No Inflation, perhaps the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country?…When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?”
Larry Reynolds, a 74-year-old Republican retiree from Wadsworth, Ohio, said: “I still back Trump’s approach in principle but believe the president’s escalating tariffs have become self-defeating…I don’t think it’ll be anything really soon. I think it’s just going to take time.”
Democratic National Committee Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer said in a statement to Newsweek: “Donald Trump’s train wreck of an economy is catching up to him, and it’s no wonder voters are pissed. Trump promised to ‘lower costs on Day One,’ but prices are soaring, and good-paying jobs are out of reach for everyday Americans. Trump’s plan of action so far has been to call affordability a ‘hoax’ and tell Americans not to ‘be dramatic.’ Meanwhile, working families are skipping meals, forgoing critical medical care, and depleting their savings as Trump doubles down on his disastrous economic policies. While Trump twiddles his thumbs, Democrats are working tirelessly to bring down prices and lower the cost-of-living.”
What Happens Next
If economic frustration continues, it could complicate Republican efforts to defend vulnerable seats in 2026—creating openings for primary challengers in some races and boosting Democratic competitiveness in key swing districts.
The White House has responded with a national tour aimed at strengthening public confidence, alongside additional policy measures and messaging designed to address inflation and cost-of-living concerns.
