A recent series of polls indicates a significant decline in American confidence regarding President Donald Trump’s economic management since his return to the White House.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Wednesday, only 37% of Americans approve of Trump’s economic handling, marking his lowest rating on the matter since his first term.
Additionally, a survey from the Pew Research Center highlights that a mere 45% of U.S. adults trust Trump to make sound economic decisions. This figure represents a stark 14-point decline from November of the previous year, when 59% expressed confidence in his economic decision-making.
These findings come in the wake of a Finance Newso All-America Economic Survey, which revealed Trump’s lowest economic approval ratings throughout his presidency, with just 43% of Americans endorsing his economic approach.
The dip in confidence is particularly concerning given Trump’s platform during the 2024 election, where he earned voter support by promising to reduce inflation and rejuvenate an economy still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, since taking office, Trump has prioritized tariff policies over his commitments to tax cuts and deregulation, resulting in a pattern of uncertainty that has unsettled the stock market due to fears of a trade conflict.
The Pew Research Center survey noted that about 59% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s extensive tariffs on imported goods.
Moreover, a divide persists along party lines regarding confidence in Trump’s economic stewardship. A substantial 80% of Republicans expressed that they are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ confident in his economic and tax policy decisions, while only 11% of Democrats concurred.
As public faith in Trump’s economic strategy wanes, his overall job approval ratings have suffered as well. The Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from April 16-21 shows that approximately 42% of Americans approve of the president’s job performance, a decrease from 47% at the time of his inauguration.
Similar trends appeared in other polls released this week, with 44% of Americans approving of Trump’s presidential conduct according to the Finance Newso survey, and just 40% expressing approval in the Pew survey, marking a 7-point drop since February.
