President Donald Trump's approval ratings are stuck in the red, even as a sliver of improvement shows in the latest national survey.
According to CNBC, the All-America Economic Survey reveals Trump's overall approval at a negative 51% to 46%, up slightly from 51% to 44% in April. His economic rating fares worse, with 45% approving and 53% disapproving, though it’s a small bump from 43% to 55% earlier this year.
These numbers paint a stubborn picture for a president who once rode high on economic goodwill. The public seems to be tiring of the relentless pace of policy shifts, and the survey hints at deeper discontent on key issues like inflation and federal spending.
Drilling into the data, Trump scores positive approval on just one of seven major issues: securing the southern border, with 53% in favor against 44% opposed. Every other topic, from tariffs to taxes, leaves him underwater, with inflation disapproval a glaring 37% to 60%.
Jay Campbell, a Democratic pollster for the survey, noted, “What seemed to be keeping President Trump’s overall approval level from really dropping down was the strong economy and the credit that he got from the public.” But that cushion is gone now, and expecting economic nostalgia to save the day feels like wishful thinking when 60% of Americans say their incomes can't keep up with rising costs.
Micah Roberts, the Republican pollster, added, “Trump’s approval is stable, but his individual ratings are down on issue after issue, except for tariffs.” Stability might sound reassuring, but flatlining in the negative zone is hardly a victory lap for a leader banking on results.
Views on the economy show a mixed bag, with 31% rating it as excellent or good, the best since the early Biden years, up 11 points from April. This uptick leans heavily on Republican optimism, with independents showing only modest improvement.
Yet, future economic outlook remains bleak, as 46% expect things to worsen, against 36% who see improvement. The disconnect between current gains and future fears suggests many Americans aren't buying the long-term promises coming from the administration.
Stock market sentiment, however, has brightened, with 46% calling it a good time to invest, a sharp reversal from a prior 15-point deficit. This shift follows Trump easing off aggressive tariff plans and passing tax legislation, though whether this optimism holds amid inflation concerns is anyone’s guess.
Party loyalty holds firm, with Republicans backing Trump and Democrats staunchly opposed, while independents tilt negative at 50% disapproval to 36% approval. On specific policies like deportations, the split is stark, with 98% of MAGA Republicans approving compared to just 61% of non-MAGA counterparts.
Public opinion on tariffs also reveals a fracture, as 49% say they harm workers and 67% believe they drive up costs of everyday goods, despite a narrow 47% to 37% view that they help U.S. companies. This ambivalence shows a nation wrestling with the trade-offs of protectionist policies that sound good on paper but sting at the checkout line.
Foreign policy, federal spending, and taxes all drag Trump’s numbers down, with disapproval margins ranging from 13 to 23 points. For a president who thrives on bold moves, these consistent negatives signal a public hungry for tangible relief over flashy rhetoric.
Despite the grumbling, nearly three-quarters of Americans still see foreign trade as an economic opportunity rather than a threat. This enduring belief in global engagement clashes with the administration’s tariff-heavy approach, suggesting a public that wants strength without isolation.
Democrats, meanwhile, are faring even worse in the court of public opinion, with favorability among registered voters cratering to a net negative 32 points, the lowest since at least 1996. Their slight edge in preference to control Congress, at 49% to 44%, feels like cold comfort when their brand is this tarnished.
Roberts captured the national mood, saying the survey reflects “a country that’s in a shifting moment across all of these issues.” For Trump, the challenge is clear: turn policy wins into felt progress, or risk a public that’s souring on everyone in Washington.
