Trump faces cost-of-living criticism in new poll as Democrats’ 2026 stock rises

The Trump administration has faced growing criticism over the economy and the cost of living in a new poll, with Democrats winning as the party where most survey respondents say they want to control Congress after next year’s midterm elections.

In a poll published by NBC News on November 9, two-thirds of registered voters said: Trump administration It could not meet its expectations in terms of combating inflation and the cost of living. Many Americans are also unhappy with the way the administration is affecting the middle class; 65 percent say Trump has not lived up to their hopes.

Minister Donald TrumpHis approval rating in the survey was 43%, a 4-point drop since the store’s March survey, while 55% said they disapproved of his job performance.

The numbers match several recent polls: President’s average rating in surveys According to the New York Times’ calculation, there is a 42 percent approval rate and 55 percent disapproval rate. RealClearPolitics’ November 9 average similar, 43% approve and 54% disapprove.

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questionnaire This is the latest incident to show voters’ dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of the economy. This was a disappointment Democrats experienced last week in the Nov. 4 election, when the party won key races across the country.

Respondents to an NBC News poll said they favor Democrats over Republicans to lead the new Congress by 8 points in 2027; 50% said they preferred Democratic control over 42% who wanted a GOP-led legislature. That’s the largest lead by either party in congressional voting in the NBC poll since the 2018 midterm elections and a 7-point increase in the Democratic lead since March.

For the ongoing shutdown, 49 percent said Republicans in Congress or Trump were at fault, and 42 percent said Democrats in Congress were at fault.

More: When will the government shutdown end? Here’s what needs to happen.

But the poll found it wasn’t an entirely rosy picture for Democrats. Only 28% of those surveyed had a positive view of the party, while the rate of Republicans was 37%. Republicans were seen as more capable on crime and immigration, while Democrats outperformed Republicans on healthcare and democracy.

Although a majority of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with Republicans on the economy, they still held a one-point advantage over Democrats in polling on the issue.

More broadly, 61 percent of respondents said the country was heading in the wrong direction, a 7-point increase since pollsters last asked the question in March.

1,000 registered voters participated in the survey between October 24 and 28. The margin of error is ± 3.1 percentage points.

Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political correspondent. You can reach him at: kapalmer@usatoday.com and in X @KathrynPlmr.

This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Trump’s approval rating drops in new poll, Democrats’ 2026 stocks rise