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Americans aren’t happy with President Donald Trump’s economic policies nearly two months into his presidency, a number of new polls released Wednesday reveal.
Fifty-six percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, according to a new CNN/Ipsos poll, a figure worse than any recorded during his first term. The economy is the number-one issue for 42 percent of voters, the poll found.
Meanwhile, 70 percent of Americans believe his tariffs will drive up the price of living, and more than half believe the president is too “erratic” with his trade policies, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
An Economist/YouGov poll found that Trump’s approval rating with Hispanic U.S. citizens is 34 percent — the lowest of his term so far — versus a 56 percent disapproval rating. Only 28 percent of those surveyed believe the country is “generally heading in the right direction.”
Economists have long warned that American consumers will bear the brunt of Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China and others as American companies hike their prices to consumers to cover the cost of tariffs they pay on their imported goods.
The majority of Americans also want Trump to focus more on combatting ever-rising prices, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Fears of a recession are rising after the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 900 points at closing Monday and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that Trump’s economic policies will be worth it, even if they cause a recession. J.P. Morgan increased its forecasted risk of a recession this year to 40 percent, up from 30 percent at the beginning of 2025.
Trump’s overall job approval rating also isn’t doing well, with 54 percent of Americans disapproving of his efforts, according to the CNN/Ipsos poll. The survey found that just 35 percent of Americans believe the country is doing well.
Less than half of Americans approve of Trump’s healthcare policies, foreign affairs approach and tariffs, the CNN/Ipsos poll found.
A slim majority — 51 percent — of those surveyed approve of Trump’s immigration policies, the CNN/Ipsos poll shows. That figure is seven points higher than at any point during his first term in office.
Elon Musk is also facing a low approval rating as he leads the Department of Government Efficiency. Just 35 percent of Americans view Musk in a positive light, the CNN/Ipsos poll reports, while 53 percent see him negatively, and 11 percent have no opinion.
Roughly 60 percent of Americans also say Musk doesn’t have the right experience or the right judgment to carry out the massive layoffs and budget cuts DOGE is orchestrating. Similarly, 62 percent of Americans are concerned about the government cuts going too far and impacting important programs.
This week alone has seen massive cuts in federal programs, with NASA launching layoffs that could impact hundreds and the Department of Education moving to slash nearly half its staff. DOGE also directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development to shelve a $1 billion program that keeps housing affordable.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
