Poll: Trump’s Handling of the Economy

This Navigator Research report covers the latest perceptions of Trump’s handling of the economy, including rising costs and his plan for tariffs.

A majority of Americans (56 percent), including 61 percent of independents, disapprove of President Trump’s handling of the economy. Majorities describe the economy as “volatile” (67 percent) and “uncertain” (67 percent) rather than “stable” (28 percent).

Seven in ten independents (71 percent) and Americans earning less than $50,000 in annual household income (69 percent) say the economy is currently uncertain rather than stable.

Two thirds of Americans (65 percent) say that costs are going up, including almost half of Republicans (48 percent).

In response to this perceived lack of stability and increased costs, nearly half of Americans say they are not going out to restaurants, movies, and other recreational activities (47 percent), are saving less than they would like (46 percent), and are cutting back on purchasing daily goods like groceries (42 percent).

Only a third of Americans (30 percent) have a favorable view of tariffs, including merely 20 percent of independents, and a little over one third of non-MAGA Republicans (37 percent).

By a margin of 56-points, Americans think that tariffs are making prices go up (67 percent going up – 11 percent going down), with four in ten saying prices are going up “a lot” (41 percent). By an 11-point margin, Americans say that the economic pain caused by tariffs will not be worth it in the long run (38 percent worth it- 49 percent not), driven by 70 percent of Republicans who believe tariffs will be worth it.

Majorities agree that President Trump’s tariff policy is making the economy more volatile (62 percent) and creating chaos (53 percent).

Perceptions vary based on news consumption. Among those who say they seek out the news, 57 percent say Trump’s tariffs are causing chaos. By contrast, 48 percent of those who say news comes to them report the same.

While Republicans feel that the tariff policy can be described as “smart and strategic,” and “playing the long game,” Democrats and independents are more likely to describe it as “raising costs for Americans,” and “causing chaos in the economy.”