U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating among working-class Americans has dropped sharply, with his standing underwater by 28 points in a new survey.
According to polling by The Economist/YouGov, just 34 percent of people earning less than $50,000 a year approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 62 percent say they disapprove of his performance.
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 voters earning under $50,000 a year rose from 44 percent in 2020 to 50 percent in 2024.
If the president continues to lose ground with these voters, it could have wider implications for the Republican Party—particularly ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, when the GOP is working to protect its narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
What the Numbers Show
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 38 percent of respondents overall approved of the job he is doing, while 57 percent disapproved, for a net approval rating of -19 percentage points.
The data also suggests that higher earners hold somewhat less negative views of his performance, though his approval remains underwater in every income group. Among those earning between $50,000 and $100,000, Trump’s net approval stood at -12 points, compared with -10 points among people making more than $100,000.
Other surveys point to a similar trend with lower-income voters. YouGov/Economist polling conducted from October 4 to October 6 found that Trump’s net approval rating among people earning under $50,000 a year dropped from -15 points in September to -24 points in October.
Possible Reasons Behind the Shift
The polling does not specify why lower-income voters are turning away from Trump, but economic concerns remain central for many Americans. Trump campaigned on bringing down inflation, yet some of his economic policies—such as tariffs on key trading partners—have drawn public criticism since he took office.
The recent government shutdown also disrupted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps about 42 million low- and no-income Americans purchase food. That disruption, combined with rising grocery prices and broader worries about the cost of living, may have weighed on public opinion.
Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K., told Newsweek that “the sluggish economy” and “the increasingly ostentatious opulence” of Trump’s lifestyle are likely hurting his standing in the polls.
“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.”
Broader Polling Picture
A separate poll by The Economist/YouGov recently found Trump’s overall approval rating at its lowest point since he returned to office in January: 39 percent said they approved of the job he is doing, while 58 percent disapproved, putting his net approval at -19 points.
What People Are Saying
On Truth Social earlier this month, Trump dismissed unfavorable numbers, writing: “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 standing among voters at every income level is likely to shift as his presidency continues and new economic policies take effect. How working-class Americans feel the impact of those policies in their daily lives may prove crucial to his political future—and to his party’s prospects in upcoming elections.
