Trump's economic polling is in freefall
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President Trump on May 15, 2026 in Beijing, China. Photo: Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images.
President Trump's approval rating fell to a new second-term low in polling released Monday.
Why it matters: Economic discontent drove Trump's re-election, but his failure to temper inflation and the fallout of the Iran war have turned voters against him.
- About 37% of voters approve of Trump's job performance, per a New York Times/Siena poll released Monday, down 3% from the last poll conducted in January.
- While Republicans still broadly back the president, 69% of independents — a core voting block the GOP will have to capture to maintain control of the House in November — disapprove of Trump, up from 62% in January.
Driving the news: Roughly 64% of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, and 69% disapprove of how the president is managing issues over cost-of-living, per the NYT.
- That tracks with a Sunday poll from CBS News, where 65% say Trump's policies are making the economy worse in the short term. And among Republicans, 37% now disapprove of the president's handling of inflation, up 11 points since March.
Flashback: When Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, 50% of Americans somewhat or strongly approved of his handling of the economy, per strategic research firm Echelon Insights.
- By Liberation Day — when Trump imposed global tariffs in April 2025— only 40% of Americans approved of his handling of the economy in a Quinnipiac University poll.
The other side: Democrats aren't faring much better. Around 44% of Democratic voters say they aren't satisfied with their party, while just 26% are, per the NYT.
- Only 23% of Republicans say the same about the GOP.
- Still, 35% of Americans say Democrats have a better approach to the economy, compared to 31% who think Republicans have the edge, according to CBS.
Between the lines: Polling trends show that Trump is paying the price for the Iran war.
- Sixty-five percent of voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the war, and fewer than a quarter say the conflict has been worth its $29 billion (and counting) price tag, per the NYT.
- And 64% of Americans say going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, including 73% of independents.
- In CBS's poll, 69% said they don't understand what's happening with the Straight of Hormuz, and 59% say higher gas prices have caused financial hardship, up 8% from April.
What they're saying: "While the President has been clear about short-term disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury, the Administration is focused on implementing the proven Trump agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, and energy abundance to keep America on a solid economic trajectory," White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told Axios in an emailed statement.
- "The President does not make these incredibly important national security decisions based on fluid opinion polls, but on the best interest of the American people."
Go deeper: Personal finance-economy sentiment gap widens: Fed survey
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting throughout.
