Donald Trump’s Approval Rating on Economy Plunges to New Low

Public confidence regarding President Donald Trump’s economic management has declined, a recent poll by The Associated Press shows, even as his overall approval rating experiences a slight uptick since April.

Newsweek contacted Trump’s office for comment via online form on Saturday outside of usual working hours.

Why It Matters

The May 2025 AP-NORC Center Poll conducted for NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, with funding from The Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago, reveals that just over one-third of Americans are confident in Trump’s ability to handle the economy and job creation.

When those polled were asked: “Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling the economy?” of the 1,175 adult respondents, 36 percent approved, while 63 percent disapproved.

This marks a decrease from earlier in the year, which may reflect growing skepticism amid rising tariffs and persistent inflation concerns.

What To Know

As previously reported by Newsweek, Trump began his second term with higher approval ratings than ever. But, in recent weeks, polls have started to show his popularity rating decline after he released his new program of “Liberation Day” tariffs, which rocked markets and heightened concerns about inflation and a possible recession.

Trump’s economic message, built around tax cuts, deregulation, and an “America First” trade policy, has historically served as his political stronghold. Even when his overall approval slipped, he consistently earned his strongest support from voters on economic issues.

As reported by The Associated Press, during Trump’s first term, the economy was an issue on which Americans frequently gave him good marks. In October 2020, just before he lost reelection, an AP-NORC poll found that about half of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy.

Last month, a Navigator Research poll conducted April 24 to 28 among 1,000 registered voters found Trump’s approval on the economy has plunged to a net -16.

Just 40 percent of Americans approved of his handling of the economy, while 56 percent disapproved. This represented the lowest economic rating for Trump in Navigator’s tracking history.

The latest AP-NORC poll shows that these numbers have fallen significantly. Despite these economic apprehensions, Trump’s overall approval rating has seen a modest rise. Forty-one percent of Americans now approve of his performance, a slight increase since April.

This improvement could be attributed to heightened support from Republican constituents and a marginal softening of opposition among Democrats.

On immigration, results were extremely close, with a 49 percent approval rating, against 51 percent disapproval. Of those polled overall, 40 percent leaned toward Democrat, 38 percent Republican, and 22 percent independent or none.

What People Are Saying

William F. Hall, an adjunct professor of political science and business at Webster University in St. Louis, previously told Newsweek, when referring to a recent Big Data poll: “President Trump’s performance with the economy is struggling and under intense scrutiny and will have to rebound, rather sooner than later, if either his favorability or approval ratings are to survive further even decline.”

What Happens Next

As Trump embarks on his second term, while his base remains largely supportive, the wider electorate exhibits caution, particularly concerning economic policies. The administration’s future actions on trade and fiscal matters will likely play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion moving forward.