U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating among working-class Americans has dropped sharply, with his support underwater by 28 points in new polling.
According to an Economist/YouGov survey, just 34 percent of people earning under $50,000 a year approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 62 percent say they disapprove.
Why It Matters
Lower-income voters have historically leaned toward the Democratic Party, but Trump made notable inroads with this group in the 2024 election. Exit polling from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research indicates that his share of the vote among those earning under $50,000 a year rose from 44 percent in 2020 to 50 percent in 2024.
If the president’s support among these voters continues to erode, it could pose a serious problem for the Republican Party—especially heading into the November 2026 midterm elections, when the GOP will be trying to protect its narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
What To Know
Trump’s net approval rating of -28 points among those earning under $50,000 is worse than his overall standing across all income brackets. The poll found that, overall, 38 percent of respondents approve of his job performance and 57 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of -19 points.
Among higher earners, views of Trump are somewhat less negative, though still unfavorable on balance. His net approval rating is -12 points among people earning between $50,000 and $100,000, and -10 points among those making more than $100,000.
Other surveys suggest a similar slide among lower-income voters. Economist/YouGov polling conducted from October 4 to October 6 showed Trump’s rating among those earning under $50,000 deteriorating from September, when his net approval in this group was -15 points, to -24 points in October.
The poll does not spell out why lower-income voters are souring on Trump, but the economy remains a central concern for many Americans. Trump campaigned on bringing inflation under control, yet some of his economic decisions in office—such as tariffs imposed on key trading partners—have drawn public criticism.
The recent government shutdown affected the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps about 42 million low- and no-income Americans buy groceries. That disruption, alongside elevated grocery prices and broader anxiety about the cost of living, may have further shaped respondents’ views.
Speaking with Newsweek, Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K., said that “the sluggish economy” and “the increasingly ostentatious opulence” of Trump’s lifestyle were weighing on his poll numbers.
“There’s little spare cash in the average American’s wallet,” he said. “Every trip to the supermarket costs a little more. And unavoidable expenses such as health care premiums are turning stratospheric. Trump keeps talking about cutting the cost of living, but his rhetoric isn’t matched by delivery.”
He continued: “Meanwhile he’s turning the White House into a Northern Mar-a-Lago, setting off for golf or photo ops at every opportunity, and seemingly getting a great personal financial return on the presidency out of everything from crypto currency to suing foreign broadcasters.
“Trump, quite simply, no longer appears the outsider president fighting for the dispossessed. For many working-class Americans, he’s no longer on their side.”
Another recent Economist/YouGov poll found Trump’s overall approval rating at its lowest point since he returned to office in January: 39 percent of respondents said they approve of the job he is doing, while 58 percent disapprove—a net rating of -19 points.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month: “So many Fake Polls are being shown by the Radical Left Media, all slanted heavily toward Democrats and Far Left Wingers. … Fake News will never change, they are evil and corrupt but, as I look around my beautiful surroundings, I say to myself, ‘Oh, look, I’m sitting in the Oval Office!'”
What Happens Next
Trump’s support across different income groups is likely to shift as his administration rolls out and adjusts economic policies. Future changes in inflation, wages, government benefits, and broader economic conditions will play a key role in determining whether his standing with working-class voters continues to fall—or begins to recover.
