Voters’ views of the economy have dimmed in recent months, as economic concerns that helped return President Donald Trump to the White House are now weighing on his approval ratings in the latest Fox News poll.
The survey, which was conducted Friday through Monday, found that three quarters of voters viewed the economy negatively – with 76% of respondents saying that national economic conditions are either “not so good” or “poor” in their views, according to the Fox News poll.
Voters had similarly negative views about their personal financial situations, with 60% rating them as not good or poor, while 40% said they’re in good or excellent shape financially.
A 61% majority of voters said they disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy, while 38% expressed approval. While 77% of Republicans said they approve of the president’s handling of the economy, just 25% of independents and 6% of Democrats expressed approval.
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A nearly two-to-one majority of voters said that Trump is more responsible for the current economy than former President Joe Biden, with respondents breaking 62% to 32%, respectively.
Democrats were nearly 40 percentage points more likely than Republicans to blame Trump, while 42% of GOP respondents said Trump compared with 53% who said Biden. Independents nearly matched the overall response, as 62% said Trump and 29% said Biden.
The poll showed that by a 31-point margin, more voters say the Trump administration’s policies have hurt than helped them. That’s a similar dynamic to the end of Biden’s term, when voters said by a 30-point margin that the Biden administration’s economic policies did more to hurt than help their finances. In both cases, nearly three-quarters of voters on the other side of the aisle said they were harmed by the sitting president’s policies.
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Voters were broadly critical of tariffs, with 63% of respondents saying they disapprove of how the Trump administration is handling them – with 27% of Republicans, 72% of independents and 92% of Democrats opposed.
When asked about whether inflation is under control, voters were skeptical, with a 52% majority saying prices are “not at all” under control. Just 18% of voters said inflation is completely or mostly under control, while 29% said it’s somewhat under control.
Grocery costs are a particular pain point for voters, as the poll asked if costs for items have increased, decreased or remained the same compared to a year ago. An 85% majority said they’ve increased, whereas 10% reported a decrease and 5% said there’s been no change.
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Utility bills and healthcare costs have also risen, as 78% of voters reported higher utility bills and 67% said they’re facing higher healthcare costs compared with last year.
Additionally, two-thirds of voters said their housing costs have increased in the past year.
Gas prices are an area where voters who responded to the survey are reporting more relief, as just 54% reported price increases and 30% said their gas costs have decreased.
“The situation isn’t complicated,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps run the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “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.”
Fox News’ Dana Blanton and Victoria Balara contributed to this report.
