Just 17% approve of Trump on cost of living as voters blame his policies for high costs

Just 17% approve of Trump on cost of living as voters blame his policies for high costs Americans are deeply frustrated with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Public frustration over the economy and rising prices is weighing heavily on President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections, with a majority of Americans blaming his policies for stubbornly high costs. Just 17% of US adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, while 26% approve of his management of the broader economy, according to a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. Nearly two-thirds, 65%, say Trump's policies are primarily responsible for high prices rather than factors outside his control, amid frustration over tariffs and the war with Iran. The findings come weeks before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Trump has been campaigning heavily for Republicans, but dissatisfaction has spread to some of his own supporters. "I was hoping it would be better or different, but it’s not really good," said Robert Gault, 66, a retired factory worker and Republican from Bradford, Pennsylvania. "He said, ‘Make America Great Again.’ And I have not seen him do that." Concern about everyday expenses has risen sharply. About half of Americans say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about affording gasoline, up from 39% in July, while a similar share are highly concerned about food costs. "Just the cost of everything is going up as a result of fuel," said Pedro Sanchez, 52, a California law enforcement worker who voted for Trump. "I used to have a lot more disposable income. I don’t have that any more." Trump's economic approval has fallen 14 percentage points since March 2025. About 7 in 10 Americans say his handling of living costs has been worse than expected, including roughly half of Republicans. About 6 in 10 Republicans now disapprove of Trump's handling of living expenses, up from about half in April, although 67% of Republicans still blame high costs primarily on factors outside his control. The poll also found growing dissatisfaction with Trump's foreign and trade policies. Some 69% of Americans say the war with Iran has not been worth fighting, while just 28% approve of Trump's handling of Iran. Only about 3 in 10 approve of his handling of international trade, and 64% say he has gone too far with new tariffs. Overall, about 3 in 10 Americans approve of Trump's performance as president, while roughly 6 in 10 say the country is worse off than when his second term began. Border security remains his strongest issue, with about half approving of his performance. Trump's economic approval is now comparable to President Joe Biden's 28% rating in June 2022 during pandemic-era inflation. But Americans were less likely to directly blame Biden at the time: in October 2022, 44% said his policies were responsible for high prices, compared with 65% who now blame Trump's policies. Sanchez said Trump's tariffs and the Iran war had directly contributed to his disappointment. "I think he has a lot to do with it," he said. "I think with Biden, a lot of the stuff was outside of his control." Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments