Trump's Economic Approval Drops to 36%, Lowest Since Taking Office
57% Say He Is Mishandling the Economy
Mounting Pressure Ahead of Next Year's Midterm Elections
On December 17 (local time), a poll revealed that public approval of U.S. President Donald Trump's economic policies has reached its lowest point across both his first and second terms. As rising prices increase the cost-of-living burden on citizens, overall support for his administration has also been declining, which analysts say is becoming a liability for the Trump administration ahead of next year's midterm elections.
According to a poll released that day by PBS, NPR, and the polling agency Marist, which surveyed 1,440 adults between December 8 and 11 (margin of error ±3.2 percentage points), 57% of respondents said they do not support President Trump's handling of the economy. Only 36% said he is managing the economy well, marking the lowest figure for President Trump across both his first and second terms.
Overall assessments of his job performance have also worsened. In this poll, only 38% said President Trump is doing well as president, the lowest level since the end of his first term. The share of respondents who said he is not performing well as president reached 54%.
Dissatisfaction with the cost-of-living burden was particularly pronounced. Seven out of ten respondents (70%) said that the cost of living in their area is "very difficult to afford" or "completely unaffordable." This is the highest figure since Marist began asking this question in 2011. In contrast, only 30% said the cost of living is manageable or very manageable, a significant drop from the previous survey's 55%.
PBS reported that while President Trump successfully leveraged economic discontent among voters to return to the White House in last year's presidential election, such discontent could now pose a potential risk for the Republican Party in next year's midterm elections.
Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Poll, pointed out, "With the cost-of-living burden emerging as the top issue for voters, responsibility ultimately falls on the president, who is the chief executive."
President Trump is expected to directly explain his administration's economic achievements over the past year in a national address later today.
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