Americans are growing increasingly dissatisfied with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy and the cost of living, with a new poll showing sharp declines in his economic approval ratings just weeks before the midterm elections.
According to a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, only 17 per cent of US adults approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 26 per cent approve of his handling of the economy. The latter figure marks a new low and is down 14 percentage points from March 2025.
The poll also found that 65 per cent of Americans blame Trump’s policies more than factors outside his control for persistently high prices.
The findings come as Republicans seek to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections and Trump steps up campaigning across the country.
Rising prices remain a major concern for voters. Around half of US adults said they were “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford petrol, up from 39 per cent in July. A similar share expressed serious concern about paying for food.
The poll also found that about seven in 10 Americans believe Trump’s handling of the cost of living has been worse than expected. Even among Republicans, around six in 10 disapproved of his performance on the issue.
Some Republican and Republican-leaning voters quoted by AP said they had expected Trump’s second term to bring stronger economic relief but were disappointed by continued high prices and reduced disposable income.
Trump’s trade policies are also drawing weaker public support. Only about three in 10 Americans approve of his handling of trade negotiations, while 64 per cent said he had gone too far with new tariffs.
The war with Iran has added to economic concerns, particularly through higher fuel prices. About 69 per cent of Americans said the war was not worth fighting, while only 28 per cent approved of Trump’s handling of Iran.
Overall, Trump’s job approval remains weak. The AP-NORC poll put his approval at around three in 10, while roughly six in 10 Americans said the country was worse off than when he began his second term. Border security remained one of the areas where he retained comparatively stronger support.
Other polling has pointed to similar dissatisfaction. A recent The Hill/Decision Desk HQ polling average showed Trump with 37.7 per cent approval and 60.2 per cent disapproval as of September 29.
The latest economic polling also echoes broader concerns about consumer confidence. A Conference Board survey released this week showed US consumer confidence falling to its lowest level since 2014, with respondents citing high prices, stagnant wage growth and the economic impact of the Iran war.
The comparison with former President Joe Biden is also notable. Trump’s current economic approval rating of 26 per cent is close to Biden’s 28 per cent in June 2022, when inflation was a major political issue.
However, the AP-NORC poll found that Americans are now more likely to directly blame Trump’s policies for high prices than they were to blame Biden’s policies ahead of the 2022 midterms.
With the midterm elections approaching, the economy, cost of living, tariffs and the Iran war are likely to remain central issues for voters as both parties make their case for control of Congress.
