CBS News poll finds many voice frustration with Trump’s economic approach
Trump’s approval ratings for the economy continue to fall, according to the latest CBS News poll 02:30
Too many Americans are anxious and stressed about finances; Their feelings of feeling safe and satisfied with these issues have decreased compared to this time last year. It’s all part of worsening views US economy.
Ratings, which have been low for a long time, fell even lower, to levels not seen since 2023. Three-quarters say revenues will not keep pace in 2023 inflation.
Americans also describe the economy as “uncertain,” indicating both short- and long-term concerns.
People do not feel that there is clarity on this issue, as they say gas prices are placing more and more burden on them. What’s going on in Iran or from day to day Strait of Hormuz.
More generally, there is disappointment with President Trump’s economic approach; Neither party has a clear positive view of assistance with living expenses; and there’s a lot of concern about that Artificial intelligence will take away jobsmore.
More and more people feel that opportunities are worse for them than for their parents’ generation.
Iranian
One reason many people describe the U.S. economy as uncertain is that most Americans feel they do not have a clear understanding of what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz every day, as the Iran conflict affects gas prices.
And so far most people don’t think the conflict is helping U.S. economic interests.
The perception of military success is relatively higher. But many say it’s too early to tell and are confused about whether it also advances U.S. strategic interests.
And that fits with the generally mixed perception of who has the advantage right now, with many saying neither side.
President Trump
Mr. Trump is paying the political price for all this.
First, two-thirds of the country say the president’s policies are making the economy worse, at least in the short term. Some in the administration have called for patience, but there is relatively more optimism that their policies will make things better in the long run.
Most Americans describe their feelings about the administration’s economic approach as either “frustrated” or “angry.”
Therefore, their ratings for managing the economy and inflation continue to decline.
Even among Republicans, who still give him high marks on other fronts, his ratings on handling inflation have been falling, especially since the Iran conflict and the rise in oil prices.
The third of the Republicans who gave him a negative rating on inflation said they were “disappointed” rather than “angry” about his administration’s approach to the economy.
There is now a significant gap between how Republicans rate the president on immigration (89%) or overall (85%) and how they rate him specifically on inflation (63%).
And the president’s overall approval has fallen to the lowest level of his second term.
Policy
Many Americans also see no response from Democrats.
Although they have an edge over Democrats here, neither party is viewed by majorities as helping with the cost of living.
Despite all the problems mentioned above for Mr. Trump, the Democrats’ approach to economic policy does not look good. There is a sizeable third who either think either side is better or are not sure.
Look ahead
There are many other uncertainties in the economy. Many worry that it will be difficult to find the job they want.
And many people worry that AI will take jobs away.
Looking forward, the outlook for the U.S. economy is shifting toward pessimism, with most expecting either a recession or a slowdown.
All of this occurs against the background of an economy that most people define by selecting the word “uncertain” from the list of descriptors and using the term “unfair” more often than “fair”.
This pessimism about the economy causes people, especially Americans under fifty, to feel worse about their opportunities than their parents’ generation.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,064 U.S. adults interviewed between May 13-15, 2026. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide by gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as the 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.7 points.
