Americans are registering deep frustration with the Trump presidency this term, giving negative reviews of the economy and saying rising prices are straining their budgets, according to a new FOX News national survey.
The poll, conducted Nov. 14-17, measured 1,005 registered voters’ attitudes across economic, political, and foreign-policy issues. It found 76% now view the economy negatively — worse than the 67% who said so in July and the 70% who felt that way at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term. Large majorities across party lines say their costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare, and housing have risen this year.
Voters are directing much of their anger at the White House. By a 62% to 32% margin, they say President Donald Trump is more responsible for today’s economy than Biden is. The portion who say Trump’s economic policies have hurt them is triple that who say it has helped them — mirroring how voters described Biden’s economy last year, FOX reported. Trump’s economic approval has now fallen to its lowest point yet, and his overall job disapproval has reportedly reached new highs among some of his core supporters.
Both parties also saw their favorable ratings fall after the government shutdown, and roughly six in 10 voters say neither the President nor Congress cares about people like them.
Breakdowns of these numbers offer a clearer picture of voter sentiment.
Inflation and the economy weigh heavily
Americans are pessimistic about their personal finances. Forty percent call their situation “excellent/good,” while 60% say “not so good/poor,” according to the poll. The percentages are relatively unchanged from last year, FOX reported. Negative ratings are highest among non-college educated voters, Hispanics, black people, independents, and adults under 45. Seventy-nine percent of households earning under $50,000 rated their finances negatively.
Economic evaluations are similarly grim. Seventy-six percent call national conditions “not so good/poor,” and just 18% believe inflation is mostly or fully controlled, the poll showed.
Compared to a year ago, more voters say their costs are up across nearly every category: utilities (78%), healthcare (67%), housing (66%), gasoline (54%), and groceries (85%).
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“The situation isn’t complicated,” Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps run the poll, said, according to FOX. "People are struggling to afford necessities and blaming those in charge. What’s interesting is watching Democrats gain politically from a problem they arguably caused — and that crushed them in 2024. But that’s politics.”
Trump’s job approval erodes
Trump’s job performance is losing ground among key constituencies. According to FOX, disapproval has climbed among men, white voters, and those without a college degree. GOP approval has slightly dipped as well: 86% of Republican respondents approve, down from 92% in March.
Among all voters, 41% approve of Trump’s job performance, while 58% disapprove. FOX noted that Trump’s ratings have only dipped lower once before: 38% approval in October 2017. For comparison, Biden, at the same point in his presidency, held a 44%-54% approval-disapproval rating, according to FOX.
Voters split on which party is more competent
Republicans maintain an advantage on border security, illegal immigration, reducing crime, and shrinking the federal budget deficit. Democrats lead on addressing climate change concerns, reducing health care costs, raising wages, and making everyday goods more affordable. The parties are roughly even on job creation.
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Government shutdown damages both parties
Many households said the shutdown caused severe (10%) or moderate (35%) hardship, though a majority (54%) reported no hardship at all.
Still, the political fallout was universal. Nearly two-thirds disapprove of how Trump (62%), congressional Republicans (63%), and congressional Democrats (64%) handled the impasse. Favorability for both parties now sits at 38%.
Overall, 59% say Democrats in Congress don’t care about people like them, 65% say the same about Republicans, and 63% say Trump doesn’t care.
Additional findings: Foreign policy and constitutional power
The poll also found that Trump’s foreign-policy numbers stand at 43% approve, 55% disapprove. Voters are evenly split on whether his recent peace deals make the world safer (37%) or less safe (37%), while one-quarter say they make no difference. On the question of using deadly force against boats departing Venezuela that are suspected of drug trafficking, voters are divided: 49% favor military action, while 47% oppose.
Concerns over institutional balance also surfaced. Roughly two-thirds of voters worry Congress (64%) and the United States Supreme Court (63%) are yielding too much authority to the President. At the same time, 47% say the judicial branch is obstructing Trump from carrying out his agenda.