Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy and the cost of living, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The survey found that 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of living costs, while 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall. At the same time, 65% say Trump’s policies deserve more blame for persistently high prices than factors outside his control.
Economic Approval Falls to a New Low
The latest numbers represent a significant decline in public confidence in Trump’s economic leadership. His 26% economic approval rating is down 14 percentage points from March 2025, shortly after he began his second term.
The cost of living is an even greater source of dissatisfaction. About seven in 10 Americans say Trump’s handling of living costs has been worse than they expected, and roughly six in 10 Republicans now disapprove of his handling of the issue.
Robert Gault, a 66-year-old retired factory worker from Pennsylvania who describes himself as a Republican, expressed disappointment with the administration.
“I was hoping it would be better or different, but it’s not really good,” Gault said.
He added, “He said, ‘Make America Great Again.’ And I have not seen him do that.”
Groceries and Gas Squeeze Household Budgets
Concern about everyday expenses has continued to grow. About half of U.S. adults say they are extremely or very concerned about being able to afford gasoline, compared with 39% in July. Roughly half also express high levels of concern about paying for food.
Bethany Lnenicka, a 41-year-old Iowa farmer who typically votes Republican and has voted for Trump three times, described the pressure she is experiencing.
“Groceries are just like kind of out of control. It seems like everything is going up,” Lnenicka said. “It’s just insane. And of course your income doesn’t go up.”
“I just do not feel like it has gotten a lot better,” she added.
Recent government data provides additional context for those concerns. Inflation was running at 3.4% year over year in August, while the Federal Reserve’s target remains 2%. Consumer spending increased sharply during the month, but inflation-adjusted after-tax incomes were unchanged.
Republicans Split Over Who Deserves the Blame
Despite dissatisfaction with prices, Republican respondents differ sharply from the broader public over who bears responsibility. While 65% of all U.S. adults place more responsibility on Trump’s policies, 67% of Republicans say factors outside his control deserve more blame.
“I think inflation is a very difficult thing to tackle,” said Fred Naumann, a 51-year-old Republican and longtime Trump supporter from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Naumann supports Trump’s tariffs and the war with Iran, even as polling shows broader public dissatisfaction with both issues.
Tariffs and Iran Add to Public Concerns
Trump’s approach to international trade is another area where the poll found significant dissatisfaction. About three in 10 Americans approve of his handling of trade negotiations, while 64% say he has gone too far in imposing new tariffs on other countries.
The administration’s handling of Iran also receives low marks. The poll found 28% approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, while 69% say the war has not been worth fighting.
Pedro Sanchez, a California law enforcement worker who voted for Trump, connected the administration’s decisions to his economic concerns.
“I think he has a lot to do with it,” Sanchez said. “This war in Iran, the tariffs that he’s placing on other countries, obviously are affecting us.”
Polling Draws a Contrast With Biden Era
Trump’s current economic approval is close to the 28% approval rating former President Joe Biden received in an AP-NORC poll in June 2022, when the United States was experiencing historically high inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the polling shows a difference in how Americans assign responsibility.
In October 2022, 44% of Americans said Biden’s policies were primarily responsible for high prices, while 55% placed greater responsibility on factors outside his control. In the latest poll, 65% place more responsibility on Trump’s policies.
Economic Concerns Loom Over the Midterms
The findings arrive just weeks before the November 2026 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be decided. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have increased their campaign activity as Republicans seek to motivate voters, while economic concerns remain prominent in public polling.
Trump has argued that his administration needs to communicate its record more effectively. “We’re not getting the word out,” Trump told reporters Wednesday as he prepared for an extensive campaign schedule.
Overall, roughly three in 10 Americans approve of Trump’s performance as president, while about six in 10 say the country is somewhat or much worse off than when his second term began. Border security remains a comparatively stronger issue for Trump, with about half approving of his performance in that area.
The AP-NORC survey was conducted Sept. 24-28 among 2,140 U.S. adults using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
Public Frustration Puts the Economy in Focus
The poll underscores the extent to which prices and affordability remain major concerns for Americans heading into the midterm elections. While Republicans and the broader public differ over how much responsibility Trump should bear, dissatisfaction with the cost of living extends across party lines. How voters weigh those concerns alongside other issues will be determined at the ballot box in November.
