Finish this sentence: I feel “blank” about the way the country is going these days. Finish this sentence: I feel “blank” about the way the country is going these days.

“There’s a lot of social media saying: Hey, are you Republicans or MAGA people regretting your vote? And no, I’m not,” one participant told us in Opinion’s latest conversation with voters in our America in Focus series.

Across the 90-minute discussion, that was the consensus: President Trump was, whether each participant liked all of it or not, doing what he had promised. For the first time in quite a while, real change was taking place in America. That excited a lot of these 13 independent voters who supported Mr. Trump last November. Even if they could, none would go back and change their vote.

But there were also real worries: Many were unhappy with Elon Musk’s expansive presence in the White House. Two people used the word “shocking” to describe the pace of change so far.

The focus group met on the evening of April 8, just hours before the “Liberation Day” tariffs were set to go into effect, and many participants expressed real uneasiness and concern about the tariffs, the prospect of prices increasing or a possible recession. Tariffs had already affected a few members of the group. One woman worried Mr. Trump wasn’t being attentive to working-class people’s needs.

His vow that short-term pain would mean long-term gain resonated with a number of these voters, who envisioned better jobs and a more even playing field on the other side of the tariffs. As one participant said, “I had my eyes open when I voted for Trump that it was going to hurt.” But what does short-term pain look like? That’s the question everyone, including the participants in this group, is trying to answer.

In a new survey conducted by Morning Consult, The Century Foundation asked 2,007 Americans how they are managing amid the high cost of living in today’s economy, who they think is to blame for the increasing precarity in their daily lives, and what should be done to fix it.

The June survey reveals four key findings, discussed in detail in this report:

American families are struggling financially, and 6 in 10 place blame on Donald Trump for driving up their cost of living. Across a range of different questions, respondents report difficulty making ends meet and keeping up with bills, and were concerned with falling further behind. More than half believe that billionaires, corporations, and congressional Republicans have made their lives harder. Notably, 6 in 10 believe that after just six months on the job, the Trump administration has negatively impacted their cost of living.

Across a range of different questions, respondents report difficulty making ends meet and keeping up with bills, and were concerned with falling further behind. More than half believe that billionaires, corporations, and congressional Republicans have made their lives harder. Notably, 6 in 10 believe that after just six months on the job, the Trump administration has negatively impacted their cost of living. To manage the high cost of living, Americans are turning to debt and other risky financial products and practices. While the federal government tears down programs such as Medicaid and food assistance and federal regulators give the green light to companies to rip off consumers, families are being forced to construct their own safety nets from a web of risky financial practices. In the past year, more than 40 percent of Americans have dipped into savings, 37 percent have turned to credit cards, and many report borrowing from friends and family and taking on debt just to pay the bills.

While the federal government tears down programs such as Medicaid and food assistance and federal regulators give the green light to companies to rip off consumers, families are being forced to construct their own safety nets from a web of risky financial practices. In the past year, more than 40 percent of Americans have dipped into savings, 37 percent have turned to credit cards, and many report borrowing from friends and family and taking on debt just to pay the bills. While recent price hikes for gas and groceries dominate news coverage, Americans are also deeply concerned about the basic building blocks of their financial life. Rising costs are particularly acute for families right now, but the affordability crisis Americans are experiencing has been brewing for years. More than 6 in 10 Americans say it has become more difficult over the past twenty-five years for average people to get a good-paying job, find affordable child care, and buy a home.

Rising costs are particularly acute for families right now, but the affordability crisis Americans are experiencing has been brewing for years. More than 6 in 10 Americans say it has become more difficult over the past twenty-five years for average people to get a good-paying job, find affordable child care, and buy a home. Americans think corporate interests, not government red tape, are the biggest obstacle to making change—and they think it should be a top priority of the government to hold companies accountable for unfairly hiking prices, driving up the cost of living, and taking advantage of people. While some policymakers and experts have emphasized bureaucracy and red tape as a primary barrier to big public projects that lower costs for average people, more than half of Americans believe that the influence of corporations and billionaires is the biggest obstacle, not red tape. Americans also see it as a top priority to not just lower costs, but to hold accountable those companies and individuals who unfairly drove costs up in the first place.

Summary of Survey Findings

Key Finding 1: American families are struggling financially, and they place the blame on Donald Trump, billionaires, corporations, and congressional Republicans for making their lives harder.

Financial insecurity is widespread and runs deep. More than 4 in 5 Americans (83 percent) are concerned about the price of groceries, with nearly half (46 percent) saying they are very concerned. Nearly half (47 percent) of Americans are worried about their current ability to pay their rent or mortgage. And nearly two-thirds (64 percent) worry about their ability to pay an unexpected medical expense if one should arise. Nearly half of all Americans (48 percent) believe they would have difficulty paying an unexpected $500 bill without borrowing. Nearly 1 out of every 4 say it would be “very difficult” to meet a $500 expense, such as a surprise home repair or an unexpected medical bill, without borrowing.

Figure 1

This financial insecurity is widespread across demographic and income groups—although it is more pronounced among groups such as younger Americans, Americans of color, women, and lower-income Americans. For example, among Gen Z (individuals born between 1997 and 2012), 85 percent are concerned about the price of groceries and 44 percent are concerned about paying their rent or mortgage. Among Millennials (individuals born between 1981 and 1996), 83 percent express concern about grocery prices and 64 percent about housing costs. More than 8 in 10 Black voters (84 percent) and nearly three-quarters of Hispanic voters (74 percent) were concerned about the cost of groceries, while 62 percent of Black voters and 54 percent of Hispanic voters were worried about paying their rent or mortgage.

Among Gen Z, 61 percent say they would find it difficult to pay a $500 bill without borrowing. And 56 percent of Millennials say they would find it difficult, including 31 percent who say it would be very difficult. Around 6 in 10 respondents of color, including 61 percent of Black and 57 percent of Hispanic voters, would face difficulty paying a $500 expense, compared to 45 percent of white voters. Women experience more financial insecurity than men, with 53 percent reporting they would face difficulty compared to 44 percent of men, as did more than 7 in 10 government workers, perhaps reflecting the Trump administration’s recent layoffs in the federal sector.

A large portion of American families—especially low- and middle-income families—say they have trouble paying their bills, such as a surprise medical expense and even their rent or mortgage. Nearly 7 in 10 (69 percent) of those with annual family incomes below $50,000—as well as half of those with annual incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 per year—say they would have difficulty paying an unexpected $500 expense without borrowing. But even among Americans with family income greater than $100,000 per year, more than one-third (36 percent) would have difficulty paying a surprise $500 bill without borrowing. In addition, more than two-thirds (67 percent) of people with household incomes below $50,000 and 68 percent of people with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 worried about an unexpected medical expense. And more than half (54 percent) with incomes below $50,000 and half with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 (50 percent) worried about paying their rent or mortgage.

These economic pressures are top-of-mind for a large share of Americans every single day. A shocking 1 in 4 Americans (24 percent) say they spend at least three hours on a typical day worrying about their finances and ability to afford basic necessities. More than 4 in 10 spend at least one hour per day. Millennials and GenZers are experiencing the greatest anxiety, with 56 percent and 50 percent, respectively spending one hour or more per day focused on financial concerns. While low- and middle-income Americans express the strongest financial concerns, one-third of those with incomes above $100,000 also spend at least an hour concerned about their finances on a typical day.

Figure 2

A large majority fear the economic situation—and their financial struggles—will get worse. More than three-quarters of Americans (76 percent) say they are concerned about a possible recession, with more than 4 in 10 (41 percent) indicating they are very concerned. If a recession arrives—bringing a higher risk of job loss and shrinking access to credit—large numbers of Americans fear they won’t be able to afford everyday needs. For instance, nearly 6 in 10 (58 percent) worry they won’t be able to afford health care. Majorities are also concerned about falling behind on their bills (55 percent), taking on debt to make ends meet (55 percent), and being able to put food on the table (53 percent) in the event of an economic downturn.

More than three-quarters of Americans (76 percent) say they are concerned about a possible recession, with more than 4 in 10 (41 percent) indicating they are very concerned.

The majority of voters feel the Trump administration’s actions are making their problems and anxieties worse—not better. Most Americans believe President Trump has had a negative impact on grocery prices (63 percent) and the cost of living (61 percent), while only 29 percent think he has positively impacted the price of groceries and the cost of living. Nearly half (49 percent) say Trump’s policies have had a harmful effect on their own personal finances. When thinking of their own financial situation, nearly 8 in 10 Americans—including nearly 70 percent of Republicans—say they’re concerned that President Trump’s tariffs will raise prices on everyday goods such as clothing and appliances. Almost half (49 percent), including more than one-third of Republicans (35 percent), believe the tariffs will increase prices by a lot on goods produced overseas. And even for goods produced here at home, nearly 70 percent expect Trump’s tariffs to increase prices.

Figure 3

Americans see a direct connection between their own struggles and the gains made by the wealthy and powerful—including corporations, billionaires, and certain policymakers. For instance, a majority of Americans (51 percent) believe that corporations have played an active role in making life harder for average people like them in the past quarter century, while only 20 percent of Americans believe corporations have made life easier—a 31-point negative margin. When asked to reflect on corporations’ role in their own personal finances, 48 percent believe corporations worsen their ability to pay their bills, while only 16 percent think corporations improve it—a net negative margin of three-to-one.

Billionaires receive even more blame, with 52 percent of Americans saying billionaires have made life tougher, including nearly 4 in 10 (38 percent) who say billionaires have played a large role in making life harder. By contrast, just 14 percent think billionaires have made life easier. Again, voters see a direct trade-off between their well-being and the power of the wealthy: more than four times the number of Americans think billionaires have worsened their ability to pay the bills (51 percent) rather than improved it (12 percent).

Figure 4

Americans also blame national politicians for making life harder. Half of Americans think Republicans in Congress have played a role in making life harder in the past twenty-five years, with only 27 percent saying they’ve had a role in making it easier—a 23-point net negative differential. Americans perceive congressional Democrats’ role as somewhat more mixed, but a large share (41 percent) believe Democrats in Congress have made life harder, while 34 percent say they have played a role in making life easier—a 7-point net negative differential.

Key Finding 2: To manage the high cost of living, Americans are turning to debt and other risky financial products and practices.

More than a third of Americans are turning to high-cost debt to cover their bills. Significant shares have also had to turn to credit cards (37 percent) or take on debt (29 percent) to afford the bills. This is consistent with the larger trends in use of credit products, like the notable shift in use of “buy now, pay later” products for groceries. The rates of families using credit card debt to cover expenses is all the more concerning as credit card delinquencies continue to rise.

Large shares of families are tapping savings to cover everyday costs, too. Just to pay their bills, 41 percent say they have had to tap into their savings in the past twelve months. Half of Millennials resorted to this measure (50 percent) as did 46 percent of those in Gen Z. Nearly half of Hispanic and Black respondents report having to use their savings to pay bills in the past year (48 percent and 47 percent, respectively), compared to 39 percent of white respondents.

Twenty-five percent of respondents say they or someone in their household has skipped meals to save money in the past year.

One in four Americans report skipping meals to make ends meet. Twenty-five percent of respondents say they or someone in their household has skipped meals to save money in the past year—numbers that rose to nearly 4 in 10 for Hispanics (41 percent) and nearly 3 in 10 for Blacks (29 percent). The youngest Americans surveyed, ages 18–34, are by far the most likely to have skipped meals to pay bills (38 percent), and rates were similarly high for those in households with income below $50,000 per year (39 percent).

Figure 5

Many families are falling behind on their bills. Despite making tough choices to afford the basics, more than 1 in 4 Americans (26 percent) still fell behind on their monthly bills in the past twelve months and 23 percent say they had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage.

Key Finding 3: While recent price hikes like gas and groceries dominate news coverage, Americans are deeply concerned about the basic building blocks of their financial life—such as finding a good-paying job, getting affordable child care, and buying a home.

Looking back over the past quarter century, the large majority of Americans say it has gotten harder to obtain the building blocks of their financial life. For everyday families, much of the past few decades has been a story of nonexistent to small growth in real take-home pay, as wages have failed to keep pace with overall productivity in the economy. At the same time, families have been squeezed by rising costs—both for basic necessities like food and health care and for the core tenets of upward mobility, such as higher education and housing. Not surprisingly, nearly 7 in 10 Americans say that in the past twenty-five years, it has gotten harder to raise a family, while only 1 in 10 believe it has gotten easier.

Americans’ overall sentiment on the increasing difficulty of raising a family tracks with their feelings on the increasing difficulty of accessing the building blocks of a comfortable life. More than 70 percent say it’s gotten harder to buy a home (73 percent) and pay for college (72 percent), while nearly as many (69 percent) say it’s gotten harder to find affordable child care. Indeed, a large swath of Americans believes it has gotten harder to simply pay the bills (65 percent) since 2000. Meanwhile, as costs have risen, Americans are pinched more and more by inadequate paychecks, with 62 percent saying it has gotten harder to find a good-paying job.

Figure 6

Key Finding 4: Americans think corporate interests, not government red tape, are the biggest obstacle to making change—and they think it should be a top priority to hold companies accountable for unfairly hiking prices, driving up the cost of living, and taking advantage of people.

Americans view the wealthy and powerful as the leading obstacle preventing our country from getting things done. While some policymakers and pundits have argued that bureaucracy is the biggest enemy of progress on government projects, the majority of Americans (51 percent) think the biggest obstacle keeping the government from finishing public projects is the outsized influence of corporations and billionaires. By comparison, a smaller share, 33 percent, believe the biggest hurdle is too much bureaucratic red tape and regulations on the books. When considering responses by political party affiliation and gender, Republican men were the only subgroup in which a majority of respondents believe that red tape is the biggest obstacle (51 percent).

Figure 7

Across party lines, Americans believe that tamping down corporate power will help them. According to most Americans, actions that hold the wealthy and powerful accountable would help them and people like them. That includes reducing the influence of money in politics (60 percent), prosecuting companies that cheat workers and consumers (60 percent), and raising taxes on the rich (57 percent).

Further, the survey reveals a widespread desire for national leaders to make it a top priority to prevent corporations from exercising undue power, and to hold them accountable for unfairly raising prices and hurting consumers. For example, more than 8 in 10 Americans want the government to hold corporations accountable for inflating the price of prescription drugs—and 54 percent, including 52 percent of Republicans, believe this should be a top priority. Nearly the same share (80 percent) want the government to strengthen rules to prevent businesses from taking advantage of consumers. Nearly 8 in 10 (78 percent) of Americans agree that the federal government should prioritize prosecuting companies that work together to raise prices on consumers, and an identical share believe the government should help workers who have had wages stolen by employers. Finally, more than three-quarters (76 percent) want the federal government to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations, and nearly 7 in 10 (68 percent) believe that the government should do more to break up corporate monopolies.

Figure 8

Conclusion

Millions of Americans across backgrounds and political affiliations harbor deep economic anxiety and are struggling just to afford the everyday expenses—let alone the basics such as housing or child care. And they are clear that the power imbalance between corporations and ordinary people is often making their lives worse. The scale of the economic challenges facing American families and the risks they are taking on to cope—including taking on debt—should sound an alarm for policymakers and financial regulators.

Americans’ trust in President Donald Trump to bolster the U.S. economy appears to be faltering, with a new poll showing that many people fear the country is being steered into a recession and that the president’s broad and haphazardly enforced tariffs will cause prices to rise.

Roughly half of U.S. adults say that Trump’s trade policies will increase prices “a lot” and another 3 in 10 think prices could go up “somewhat,” according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

About half of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the possibility of the U.S. economy going into a recession in the next few months.

While skepticism about tariffs is increasing modestly, that doesn’t mean the public is automatically rejecting Trump or his approach to trade. However, the wariness could cause problems for a president who promised voters he could quickly fix inflation.

Trump shows vulnerability on the economy

Three months into his second term, Trump’s handling of the economy and tariffs is showing up as a potential weakness. About 4 in 10 Americans approve of the way the Republican president is handling the economy and trade negotiations. That’s roughly in line with an AP-NORC poll conducted in March.

Matthew Wood, 41, said he’s waiting to see how the tariffs play out, but he’s feeling anxious.

“I’m not a huge fan of it, especially considering China and going back and forth with adjustments on both ends,” said Wood, who lives in West Liberty, Kentucky, and is unemployed. “Personally, it hasn’t affected me as of yet. But, generally, I don’t know how this is going to come to an end, especially with the big countries involved.”

Still, Wood said he changed his registration from Republican to independent, having been turned off by Trump’s attitude and deference to billionaire adviser Elon Musk. Wood voted for Trump last year and said he’s willing to give the president until the end of the year to deliver positive results on tariffs.

About half of U.S. adults, 52%, are against imposing tariffs on all goods brought into the U.S. from other countries. That’s up slightly from January, when a poll found that 46% were against tariffs. Driving that small shift largely appears to be adults under age 30 who didn’t previously have an opinion on tariffs.

Trump supporter Janice Manis, 63, said her only criticism of Trump on tariffs is that he put in a partial 90-day pause for trade negotiations with other countries.

“Actually, I think he shouldn’t have suspended it,” said Manis, a retired sheriff’s deputy from Del Rio, Texas. “Because now China is trying to manipulate all of these other countries to go against us, whereas if he would have left all the tariffs in play then these countries would be hit hard. But, oh, well, things happen.”

Skepticism remains about Trump’s tariff approach

Not quite 100 days into Trump’s second term in the White House, people around the country are bracing for possible disruptions in how they spend, work and live. The U.S. economy remains solid for the moment with moderating inflation and a healthy 4.2% unemployment rate, yet measures such as consumer confidence have dropped sharply.

Trump has used executive actions to remold the global economy. He’s imposed hundreds of billions of dollars a year in new import taxes — albeit partially suspending some of them — launching a full-scale trade war against China and pledging to wrap up deals with dozen of other countries that are temporarily facing tariffs of 10%. Financial markets are swinging with every twist and turn from Trump’s tariff pronouncements.

Many Americans are not convinced this is the right approach. About 6 in 10 say Trump has “gone too far” when it comes to imposing new tariffs, according to the poll.

Stocks are down this year, while interest charges on U.S. government bonds have climbed in ways that could make it more costly to repay mortgages, auto loans and student debt. CEOs are scrapping their earnings guidance for investors and seeking exemptions from Trump’s tariffs, which hit allies such as Canada and even penguin-inhabited islands.

Trump seemed to recognize the drag from tariffs as he highlighted this week the possibility of a deal with China. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had also said in a closed-door speech that the situation with China is not “sustainable.”

Widespread concern about rising grocery prices

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the cost of groceries in the next few months, while about half are highly concerned about the cost of big purchases, such as a car, cellphone or appliance. Less than half are highly concerned about their ability to purchase the goods they want — a sign of the economy’s resilience so far.

Retirement savings are a source of anxiety — about 4 in 10 Americans say their retirement savings are a “major source” of stress in their lives. But fewer — only about 2 in 10 — identify the stock market as a major source of anxiety.

“This whole tariff war is just a losing situation not only for the American people but everybody worldwide,” said Nicole Jones, 32. “It’s revenge — and everybody’s losing on it.”

The Englewood, Florida, resident voted last year for then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced the incumbent president, Joe Biden, as the Democratic nominee. Jones hadn’t given much thought to tariffs until recently, and now, as an occupational therapy student, she also worries about losing her financial aid and facing high amounts of educational debt.

“Things are more expensive for us,” she said.

And most Americans still think the national economy is in a weak state.

The difference is that Republicans — who largely thought the economy was in bad shape when Biden was president — now feel more optimistic. But Democrats have become much more bleak about the country’s financial future.

“It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but we were doing fine,” Jones, a Democratic voter, said about the economy before Trump’s policies went into effect.

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.

Donald Trump’s once-unshakable image as a strong steward of the economy is facing a dramatic reversal, according to new polling, which suggests that the president’s greatest political strength has become a major liability.

Why It Matters

Trump began his second term with higher approval ratings than ever. But in recent weeks, polls have started to show his popularity rating firmly underwater after he released his new program of “Liberation Day” tariffs, which rocked markets and heightened concerns about inflation and a possible recession.

What To Know

For years, Trump’s economic messaging—centered on tax cuts, deregulation, and an “America First” trade agenda—was his political armor. Even when his overall approval ratings sagged, voters consistently gave him his highest marks on the economy. It was the issue that helped carry him through the 2016 election, buoyed his presidency, and has remained a central pillar of his 2024 campaign.

But that firewall is now showing serious cracks.

A new Navigator Research poll conducted April 24–28 among 1,000 registered voters finds Trump’s approval on the economy has plunged to a net -16.

Just 40 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, while 56 percent disapprove. That represents the lowest economic rating for Trump in Navigator’s tracking history—and a dramatic shift for a president who has built much of his brand around promises of prosperity, growth, and job creation.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025. Evan Vucci/AP

Among independents, the numbers are even more troubling. Trump’s net economic approval among this critical voting bloc stands at -31, signaling a collapse in confidence from the very swing voters who once trusted him most on financial issues.

On specific economic concerns, Trump fares no better. His net approval on inflation and the cost of living has fallen to -29. On tariffs—once a signature policy intended to protect American industry, his approval sits at -26. Among independents, just 18 percent approve of his tariff policies. Across both issues, support is now confined mainly to Republicans who identify with the MAGA movement.

The poll, which has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points, reflects growing voter anxiety following Trump’s announcement on April 2 of new “Liberation Day” tariffs. The sweeping move roiled the markets, triggering an immediate sell-off that was followed by a rebound days later. But the political damage may have already been done.

Trump’s handling of the situation appears to have deepened public unease. Voters are increasingly worried that his economic policies could stoke inflation or tip the country into a recession. According to a Decision Desk HQ/NewsNation poll conducted April 23–27 among 1,448 registered voters, a staggering 82 percent of Americans say they’re worried about a potential recession under Trump. Nearly half said they were “very concerned,” while only 4 percent said they weren’t concerned at all.

Inflation remains top of mind: 91 percent of respondents said they were at least somewhat concerned about rising prices, and 59 percent identified inflation as the biggest problem facing the country. The economy contracted by 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025—the first decline in three years—only amplifying the public’s economic anxiety.

Trump responded to the latest data on social media Wednesday, shifting blame onto his successor. “This is Biden’s Stock Market, not Trump’s,” he posted. “I didn’t take over until January 20th. Tariffs will soon start kicking in, and companies are starting to move into the USA in record numbers.”

But the numbers tell a different story. According to the same Decision Desk/NewsNation poll, 53 percent of Americans believe the country is worse off economically than a year ago. When asked about the tariffs, 64 percent said they hurt consumers and raise prices, while only 36 percent said they protect American jobs. The poll had a margin of error of +/-2.4 percentage points.

Donald Trump’s Approval Ratings

As the economy has taken a hit, so have Trump’s overall approval ratings, which have been declining in recent weeks.

Newsweek’s tracker shows that Trump’s approval rating currently stands at 44 percent, while 53 percent disapprove, marking one of his lowest approval ratings to date.

Other polls have also shown this trend. In the latest YouGov/Yahoo poll, conducted April 25-28 among 1,597 respondents, his approval dropped from 44 percent in March to 42 percent, while disapproval rose from 50 percent to 53 percent, widening his net negative from –6 to –11. The poll had a margin of error of ±2.9 percentage points.

Emerson College also released a poll yesterday, which showed that Trump’s approval rating had dropped marginally, from 47 percent to 45 percent, since March, while his disapproval rating remained the same at 45 percent. The most recent poll was conducted April 25-28 among 1,000 registered voters and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

Trump also saw a drop in Navigator’s latest poll, which suggested 44 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance as president, while 54 percent disapprove. That is down from a 48 percent approval rating in February and up from a 49 percent disapproval rating.

Meanwhile, the latest CNN poll, conducted April 17-24 among 1,678 respondents, suggested that he had the lowest approval rating for any president after 100 days since Dwight D. Eisenhower and that Trump is now less popular than he was at the same point during his first term.

Poll Date Approve Disapprove Rasmussen April 30 48 50 YouGov/Yahoo April 25-28 42 53 Emerson College April 25-28 45 45 Economist/YouGov April 25-28 42 52 Ipsos/Reuters April 25-27 42 53 Morning Consult April 25-27 45 53 Navigator Research April 24-28 44 54 J.L. Partners April 23-28 45 55 Decision Desk/News Nation April 23-27 44 56 YouGov/CBS April 23-25 45 55

NewsNation’s poll showed that a majority, 56 percent, of respondents disapproved of Trump’s second-term performance so far, and 44 percent approved.

But opinions are divided starkly along party lines. The poll showed that 86 percent of Republicans approved of his performance, while just 10 percent of Democrats said the same.

On Tuesday, Trump dismissed recent approval rating polling, which he called “fake.”

How Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Compares to First Term

The RealClearPolitics tracker showed that on May 1, 2017, Trump’s approval rating was 43 percent, while his disapproval rating was 52 percent, giving him a net approval rating of -9 points, making Trump marginally equally as unpopular now as the same point in his first stint in the Oval Office.

However, other polls have shown that Trump is less popular now than he was at the same point during his first term.

How Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Compares to Joe Biden’s

Trump’s 44 percent approval rating is lower than that of former President Joe Biden at the same point in his presidency. On May 1, 2021, Biden stood at 54 percent, with a disapproval rating of 42 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.

While Trump began his second term with higher approval ratings than ever before, according to Gallup’s first poll of Trump’s second term, conducted between January 21 and 27, he was still less popular than any president since 1953 at the start of a term and the only one to begin with a sub-50 percent approval rating. Gallup said Biden started his first term with a 57 percent approval rating.

And according to data compiled from Gallup by The American Presidency Project, Trump ranks far below other recently elected presidents after 100 days, dating back to Eisenhower, who had an approval rating of 73 percent.

Other elected presidents enjoyed solid support from the American public just over three months into their terms: John F. Kennedy 83 percent; Richard Nixon 62 percent; Jimmy Carter 63 percent; Ronald Reagan 68 percent; George H.W. Bush 56 percent; Bill Clinton 55 percent; George W. Bush 62 percent; and Barack Obama 65 percent.

What People Are Saying

Mike Nellis, a Chicago-based Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Kamala Harris, told Newsweek: “People are upset right now. Donald Trump promised to make grocery prices cheaper on day one, and literally everything is more expensive. Plus, the stock market is tanking. I think people are frustrated with the chaos, they’re frustrated with the divisiveness, and they’re frustrated that they tried something new yet they’re still struggling to put food on the table, buy a house, and retire with dignity.”

He added: “It makes a lot of sense to me that people would be this upset. They were mad at Democrats for not doing enough to listen to them, to make them feel seen, to deliver for them. So, they decided to take a risk on going back to Trump and now he’s just made everything worse. I don’t blame them for being upset. And I think it signals that the Republicans are in deep trouble in the midterms, because people are looking for change again. They’re gonna head back our way, and Democrats have to be ready to actually deliver for people if and when we win the next election.”

What Happens Next?

Trump’s approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of key events, including critical negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war, the evolving tariff situation and concerns about a recession.

Update 5/2/25, 1:55 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Nellis.

The stock market is plunging, prices are rising, federal workers are getting laid off, students are being snatched off the street by immigration agents. The US is many things at the moment, but stable is not one of them. So, amid all this turmoil, how are all the Donald Trump voters feeling? Has buyer’s remorse set in? Are they starting to wonder whether voting in a convicted felon as president – a man who has declared bankruptcy six times – might not have been the wisest move?

Not according to the polls. Rather, the US appears to be a nation of Édith Piafs: they regret rien. I’m not saying that disillusioned Republicans don’t exist; do enough digging and you can certainly find a few. And journalists have been doing a lot of digging. During Trump’s first term, there was a steady stream of media pieces profiling the regretful Trump voter. The genre has remained popular through the first few months of Trump 2.0. But, according to a much-discussed segment by CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten this week, polling proves that the idea of “regretful” Trump voters is “more of a media creation than anything else”.

“I hear all these stories, all these articles, all the Trump voters, they regret what they did back in 2024. I’m here to tell you, uh-uh. Very few of them regret what they did back in 2024,” Enten said on Wednesday.

Enten was referencing a new poll from the University of Massachusetts Amherst which found that just 2% of Trump voters agreed with the statement “I regret my [2024] vote and would vote differently if I could”. That’s almost half the number (3.5%) of Trump voters who said the same thing in February 2017. Meanwhile, 74% of Trump voters said they feel very confident that they made the right choice.

Of course, polls aren’t always reliable. Indeed, I’m going to be a little cruel and refer you back to an Enten segment from five days before the election, where the data guru looked at three 2024 polling trends that pointed to a potential victory for vice-president Kamala Harris. “If Harris wins the signs were clear as day,” he declared. In short: Mark Twain had the measure of polling when he said “there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”.

Asking people whether they regret an important choice they just made is also a loaded question. It’s akin to asking them “are you a complete idiot?” So I would treat these particular polls with a dose of caution: just because people don’t actively admit to regretting their vote, it doesn’t mean that they’re not worried about the direction the country is headed in, or that they’re thrilled about Trump’s performance as president. On the contrary, Trump’s approval rating is dropping and a lot of people are worried about inflation and higher prices. Everyone is feeling some pain right now.

In a hyper-polarised country, however, what seems to really matter to many voters isn’t how much pain they’re feeling themselves, but whether the other side is suffering more. I could cite various academic papers on the politics of resentment; I could surface endless statistics on the subject. But I think the best summation of Trumpism is a quote from a woman called Crystal Minton from back in 2019, which went viral after being included in a New York Times report. Minton lived in a Florida town that had been ravaged by the double whammy of a hurricane and a Trump administration-instigated government shutdown, and was suffering. “I voted for [Trump], and he’s the one who’s doing this,” Minton complained. “I thought he was going to do good things. He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”

Right now, however, Trump is hurting the sort of people many of his voters seem to be interested in seeing get hurt. He’s an avenging angel, wreaking vengeance on the elite institutions, scapegoats and bogeymen that the Republican party has spent years blaming for the state of the US. He’s cut funding to all the Ivy League universities he’s called “woke” and declared out of touch with American values. He’s gone after transgender people. And he has rounded up immigrants and protesters, just as he promised he would do.

Trump isn’t just doing every vindictive thing he told his supporters he was going to do: he’s trolling his detractors via nasty memes. He’s rubbing salt in their wounds. There has been what Marcus Maloney, a sociology professor at Coventry University in the UK, called a “4Chanification of American politics”. The White House Valentine’s Day post, for example, was a poem: “Roses are red, violets are blue, come here illegally, and we’ll deport you”. Cutesy font appeared above the floating heads of Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan. And a video last month posted by the White House showed a man being deported while Semisonic’s famous lyrics played in the background: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” The cruelty is very much the point.

While Trump may be hurting all the people he said he’d be hurting, there’s plenty of pain to go around. There has been a lot of anger from some of Trump’s backers in Wall Street over the volatility that the president’s tariff policy has injected into the stock market. Some of his billionaire backers, such as the investor Bill Ackman, have been screaming bloody murder. But for a lot of Trump’s backers, the fluctuations of the stock market have no immediate effect on their lives. The top 10% of Americans hold 93% of all stocks. This is what happens when inequality reaches record levels: you get a group of people with nothing to lose, which means they have little to regret. You get people happy to burn the whole system down.

None of this is to say that Trump voters are immune to remorse. With his tariff plan, he is just getting started. The president may be good at bluster, but even his most diehard supporters are going to realise quite quickly that food prices – which Trump promised to lower on the campaign trail – are not, in fact, going down. When the price of basic goods keep rising, there’s only so long you can keep feeding people obvious lies. Perhaps the Trumpers won’t get quite so much of a dopamine rush from “owning the libs” when they can’t afford to own anything else.