University of Kwazulu-Natal

Poll Paints Dire Picture On Affordability As Trump Touts Economy

Bonisiwe Shabane
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poll paints dire picture on affordability as trump touts economy

MOUNT POCONO, PA ‒ As President Donald Trump touts a rebounding economy and downplays affordability concerns, new polling suggests most Americans aren't seeing the improvements ‒ and some are making significant sacrifices to save... Findings in a poll released Dec. 11 from the progressive think tank the Century Foundation, shared exclusively with USA TODAY, show rising costs are taking a heavy toll on the American family, with the working class bearing the brunt of... Nearly 3 in 10 of voters polled said they held off getting medical care over the past year because of costs. One-third said they have skipped a meal. Two-thirds of respondents said they are buying cheaper groceries or buying less food, while half said they dipped into savings to cover basic expenses.

Cost-of-living hardships are felt most acutely by Americans without college degrees, young Americans, people of color and women, according to the poll. Less than a year from the 2026 midterm elections, the Century Foundation has briefed several Democrats in Congress on the poll results to counter Trump's assertions that affordability concerns amplified by Democrats are a... Americans give President Donald Trump his worst approval ratings ever for his handling of the economy, as they also express concerns about the cost of living, healthcare prices, and personal finances, a new PBS... Fifty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, once viewed as one of the president's strengths. Thirty-six percent say the president is doing a good job, the lowest this poll has found across both of his terms in office. Fifty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll.

Thirty-six percent say the president is doing a good job, the lowest this poll has found across both of his terms in office. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News. Sagging support for Trump on the economy is likely a major factor dragging down his overall approval rating – 38% of Americans think Trump is doing a good job as president, the lowest percentage... "This is a major problem for him," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. "When affordability is so front and center in people's minds, that's going to be laid at the doorstep of a chief executive." A new NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll finds Americans deeply pessimistic about their economic outlook, with more than six in 10 saying the economy is not working for them personally.

President Trump made affordability concerns a key part of his 2024 campaign. Here's how he put it on the day before Election Day. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We're going to make America wealthy again. And we will make America, very importantly, affordable again because people cannot afford the prices. CHANG: Well, now, more than a year later, a majority of voters are unhappy with the president's handling of the economy. That is all spelled out in a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll out today.

And NPR political reporter Elena Moore is here to break down the findings. Hi, Elena. CHANG: OK, so as we said, the economy was a big focus for Trump during the campaign. So how do voters think he's doing on that? A series of national polls show President Donald Trump facing sustained disapproval over his handling of the U.S. economy, with warning signs even emerging among core Republican voters.

From record-low approval ratings to cracks in his MAGA base, the numbers suggest that Trump’s economic brand is under strain heading into the 2026 midterms. The White House maintains that Trump "inherited the worst inflation crisis in a generation from Joe Biden’s incompetence" and points to how the administration "rapidly cooled inflation to a 2.5 percent annualized rate." A spokesman previously told Newsweek: "Turning the Biden economic disaster around has informed nearly every action the Trump administration has taken since Day One." Newsweek contacted the White House via email outside of regular business hours for further comment.

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Thirty-six percent say the president is doing a good job, the lowest this poll has found across both of his terms in office. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News. Sagging support for Trump on the economy is likely a major factor dragging down his overall approval rating – 38% of Americans think Trump is doing a good job as president, the lowest percentage... "This is a major problem for him," said Le...

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And NPR Political Reporter Elena Moore Is Here To Break

And NPR political reporter Elena Moore is here to break down the findings. Hi, Elena. CHANG: OK, so as we said, the economy was a big focus for Trump during the campaign. So how do voters think he's doing on that? A series of national polls show President Donald Trump facing sustained disapproval over his handling of the U.S. economy, with warning signs even emerging among core Republican voters.