he mood across the United States is growing increasingly uneasy. The numbers on paper—rising grocery bills, ballooning household debt, record-high rent, and the ever-present anxiety over inflation—are beginning to match what millions of Americans feel every time they step into a supermarket or check their bank account. Behind it all, the public is turning its gaze toward the one figure at the center of the country’s turbulent economic narrative: President Donald J. Trump.
A new wave of polling paints a grim picture for the embattled president. Once hailed by his base as the master of economic revival, Trump is now facing the lowest approval ratings of his second term. The cause? A volatile blend of economic unrest, aggressive trade policies, and a growing sense of disconnect between the promises made and the daily struggles endured.
[Section 1 – The Numbers That Broke Through]
Two new polls—one from Reuters/Ipsos and another conducted by Morning Consult in partnership with the Century Foundation—reveal a consistent and troubling trend for the White House.
The Reuters poll places Trump’s overall approval at just 40%, the lowest since his second inauguration. A Gallup poll released days earlier pegged him even lower, at 37%. And while those numbers might not be catastrophic by historical standards, the erosion within specific demographics—particularly men and working-class independents—signals a deeper vulnerability.
In the Morning Consult survey of over 2,000 Americans, nearly two-thirds (63%) blamed Trump for rising grocery prices. Sixty-one percent said the cost of living had worsened under his leadership. Half of all respondents said their personal finances had suffered as a direct result of administration policies. These numbers weren’t confined to left-leaning voters. Even among Republican respondents, many expressed anxiety over the direction of the economy.
[Section 2 – Living in a Two-Tier Economy]
For millions of Americans, the so-called post-pandemic recovery has been a tale of two economies. On Wall Street, corporate profits soar, and the Dow flirts with record highs. But on Main Street, the cost of a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, or a tank of gas tells a different story.
Eighty-three percent of respondents said they were deeply concerned about the cost of groceries. Nearly half feared being unable to pay their rent or mortgage. For many, unexpected medical bills are a looming threat—64% said they worry about how they would handle such expenses.
Despite the administration’s claims of strong job numbers and GDP growth, these day-to-day struggles have overtaken the national conversation. As one respondent told pollsters, “It doesn’t matter what the stock market says when I can’t afford my kid’s asthma medication.”
[Section 3 – The Tariff Gamble Backfires]
One policy move in particular has ignited widespread backlash: Trump’s latest round of tariffs.
Earlier this year, Trump announced a sweeping 10% baseline tariff on nearly all imports, later increasing that to 35% for some countries, including Canada. While the move was pitched as a patriotic play to bolster American industry, it has led to immediate price increases on everyday goods, from electronics to produce.
According to the Morning Consult poll, nearly eight in 10 Americans—including a significant majority of Republicans—fear that the tariffs will further raise costs. For a president who once touted himself as the “Tariff Man,” the public’s patience with economic nationalism appears to be waning.
[Section 4 – A Fracturing Coalition]
Perhaps most surprising is the erosion of support among one of Trump’s most dependable voter blocs: men. A CBS/YouGov poll shows that only 47% of male respondents approve of Trump’s performance, compared to 53% who disapprove.
This shift could have major implications. Trump’s political brand has long been tethered to the support of blue-collar men in the Midwest and South—voters who see themselves as overlooked by the political establishment. But the current economic pressures are reshaping priorities.
According to the CBS poll, 65% of men say Trump hasn’t done enough to lower grocery prices. Nearly half say he’s focused too much on immigration and not enough on the economy. Even in traditionally red states, there are signs of unease.
[Section 5 – Blame and Responsibility]
There’s a growing sense among voters that Trump is no longer the outsider shaking up a corrupt system—he is the system now. With full control of the executive branch and a compliant Congress, the buck stops with him.
Julie Margetta Morgan, president of the Century Foundation, put it bluntly: “Donald Trump has simultaneously raised prices on everyday goods through a reckless approach to tariffs, a decimation of programs that help Americans afford healthcare, education, food and childcare, and then kneecapping federal regulators who keep banks and other big businesses from swindling consumers.”
Her remarks underscore a deeper narrative: the belief that government has become an obstacle rather than a source of relief.
[Section 6 – Recession Fears and the Road Ahead]
While the White House continues to insist the economy is fundamentally strong, Americans are not convinced. A staggering 76% of poll respondents say they believe a financial recession is on the horizon.
In interviews conducted alongside the polling data, respondents repeatedly cited a sense of anxiety—not just about the present, but the future. “I don’t see how this ends well,” said one independent voter from Ohio. “It’s like we’re waiting for something to break.”
Even those who still support Trump are beginning to hedge. “I like him, I voted for him, but man, the economy feels like it’s slipping,” said a Trump supporter in Georgia. “He needs to get back to basics.”
[Conclusion – What the Numbers Mean]
Polls can shift. Approval ratings can rebound. But the numbers released this week suggest something deeper than a temporary dip: they reflect a slow but steady erosion of faith in Trump’s ability to steer the country through a time of deep economic distress.
And in a political landscape where perception often shapes reality, that erosion could prove more consequential than any one policy or headline.
Whether Trump regains the trust of an anxious nation—or continues to lose ground with the very people who put him back in office—will depend on more than slogans or executive orders. It will depend on whether Americans feel, at last, like the country is working for them again.
Because for now, they don’t.
