Tariff Backlash: Trump Receives Worst-Ever Economic Approval Rating

CNBC Poll: Trump's Economic Policy Approval at 43%,
Negative Ratings Reach 55%
Tariff Policy Faces 49% Opposition

U.S. President Donald Trump received the lowest approval rating for his economic policies during his term, according to recent assessments by Americans. This is attributed to a growing number of Americans taking a pessimistic view of the economy, due to concerns over possible price increases resulting from the tariff war, as well as fears of an economic recession.

On April 20 (local time), CNBC announced the results of a poll conducted among 1,000 Americans between April 9 and 13. According to the poll, President Trump's approval rating for his handling of the economy stood at 43%. This is 12 percentage points lower than the 55% who responded that they do not support him. This marks the first time during President Trump's first term that negative evaluations of his economic management have outweighed positive ones in a CNBC poll.

CNBC commented, "This is the result of Americans' optimism about President Trump's economic policies disappearing," and added, "Amid widespread dissatisfaction with tariffs, inflation, and government spending, the president has recorded the worst economic approval rating of his career."

Reuters Yonhap News

In particular, nearly half of respondents expressed opposition to tariffs. Specifically, 49% said they oppose Trump's comprehensive tariff policies, while 35% expressed support. Regarding issues such as rising prices and the cost of living, 60% of all respondents gave negative evaluations, compared to 37% who responded positively.

Expectations for the stock market were also pessimistic. Approximately 53% of those surveyed said "now is not a good time to invest," while only 38% said "it is a good time." This represents a sharp downturn in sentiment in just four months, considering that expectations for the stock market were quite optimistic when President Trump was elected.

Outlooks for the future economy were also predominantly negative. The percentage of respondents who said the U.S. economy would worsen next year was 49%, the highest since the survey began in 2023. Among blue-collar workers, a key support base for President Trump, the proportion of negative responses was 14 percentage points higher than the average during "Trump's first term." This indicates that even among his core supporters, more people are viewing President Trump's tariff policies and other measures negatively.

Regarding the overall performance of the Trump administration, 44% of respondents said they support it, while 51% said they do not.