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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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President Donald Trump's approval rating regarding his handling of the economy has declined to its lowest point in his second term, according to recent polls.
Why It Matters
Trump's approval rating is a key indicator of his political strength as he navigates his second presidential term and prepares for future policy battles.
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A shift in his numbers could influence support from Republican lawmakers, affect his ability to push through his agenda and shape the political landscape heading into the midterm election cycle.
What To Know
Recent polls indicate that Trump's popularity is waning, largely driven by negative perceptions of the economy.
According to the most recent poll conducted by YouGov and Yahoo between March 20-24 among 1,677 U.S. adults, Trump's approval rating over his handling of the economy now stands at 39 percent, while 51 percent disapprove. This marks the lowest economic approval rating Trump has seen in recent years, even lower than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in May and June of 2020, when 49 percent approved and 45 percent disapproved of his economic handling, according to YouGov and Yahoo.
The latest numbers reflect growing concerns about the state of the U.S. economy, with most Americans either believing the nation is already in a recession (26 percent) or headed toward one (26 percent). Only 26 percent of Americans currently rate the economy as "excellent" or "good," while a staggering 70 percent rate it as "fair" or "poor." These figures represent a slight decline from preelection assessments, when 30 percent of Americans rated the economy positively and 67 percent viewed it as fair or poor.
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Furthermore, nearly half of Americans (47 percent) believe the economy is worsening, while just 26 percent think it is improving, underlining the economic anxiety felt across the country as concerns about a potential recession mount. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
Other polls have also shown the same trend. Fox News's latest poll, conducted between March 14 and 17 among 994 registered voters, showed that 56 percent of respondents disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy, while 43 percent approved. And in another blow to Trump, an overwhelming 71 percent said they believe the United States economy will go into a recession this year, while just 26 percent disagreed. The poll had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.
The American Research Group poll from this month conducted among 1,100 adults showed an even bigger gap, with 40 percent saying they approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while 55 percent said they disapproved.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed that only 38 percent of poll respondents approved of Trump's stewardship of the U.S. economy, while just 34 percent said he was doing a good job on the cost of living in America.
The latest YouGov/Economist poll also shows that Trump's approval rating on the economy is declining, dropping from 45 percent earlier this month to 43 percent now. However, disapproval is down to 47 percent from 49 percent earlier in March.
It comes as inflation is affecting the economy, as a Labor Department report for January saw the largest consumer price increase in nearly 18 months.
However, inflation fell more than expected to 2.8 percent in February, according to the annual consumer price index (CPI).
Paul Whiteley, a professor of political science at the University of Essex, told Newsweek that if inflation rises and consumer confidence falls as a result, Trump's approval rating is likely to fall as well.
If this is the case, he said, the Republicans could "take a real beating losing control of the House and the Senate" in 2026.
Trump has sought to blame inflation on his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. During a White House event on Tuesday, he said the U.S. and its economy "went to hell" under his predecessor. Last week, in his national address to Congress, Trump said, "we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare."
However, a Morning Consult poll published on March 20 shows that the message no longer resonates with voters.
According to the poll, more voters than not now say current economic conditions are mostly the result of Trump's policies, not Biden's. This is compared to February, when 44 percent of respondents said economic conditions resulted from Biden's policies, while 39 percent said the same about Trump.
Now, 46 percent say Trump is to blame for current economic conditions, while 41 percent say Biden is to blame.
Polls suggest that voter dissatisfaction with Trump's handling of the economy may stem from their perception of the president's top priorities.
According to the YouGov and Yahoo poll, when asked to identify the most important issue facing the country, nearly half of Americans pointed to either the cost of living (23 percent) or the economy (23 percent).
However, when asked about the most important issue to President Trump—based on the actions he has taken so far in his second term—only one in ten Americans selected either the cost of living (2 percent) or the economy (9 percent). Instead, a much larger portion of respondents chose immigration (37 percent) or government spending (25 percent).
This trend was also reflected in a recent poll conducted by Echelon Insights earlier this month. The poll, conducted between March 10-13 among 1,007 registered voters, showed that voters think the president is most focused on immigration (25 percent), tariffs (16 percent), and his own personal interests (14 percent).
However, when voters were asked what issues Trump should be the most focused on, they chose the economy (38 percent) and the cost of living/inflation (20 percent). The poll had a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points.
While polls have shown Trump's approval rating over the economy decline, they have also simultaneously shown his overall popularity decline, pushing his approval rating into the negatives.
Newsweek's tracker shows that Trump's approval rating currently stands at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of -3. That means that the president's approval rating has decreased by 2 points since Friday, while his disapproval rating has increased by 1 point.
The latest Fox News poll showed Trump's net approval rating at -2 points. Fifty-one percent disapprove of his job performance, and 49 percent approve. The most recent poll conducted by Navigator Research, conducted between March 13-17 among 1,000 registered voters, also put Trump's approval rating at -2. Both polls had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.
Polls conducted by Ipsos and Reuters, and the American Research Group, gave him a net approval rating of -6 points. In both polls, 45 percent disapproved of the president's job performance, while 51 percent approved. Both polls had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. The latest YouGov/Yahoo poll also put Trump's net approval rating at -6 points.
Trump's lowest approval rating came in the most recent Gallup poll, conducted between March 3-16, which showed that just 45 percent of Americans approve of his job performance, while 53 percent disapprove, giving Trump a net approval rating of -8 points.
Despite this, Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek that it is "premature" to say that Trump's honeymoon period is over.
However, he noted that Trump's initial shine from his inauguration is starting to fade.
"While most Trump voters are willing to give the president more time for his economic plans to unfold, others are starting to recognize that Trump has no silver bullet for the economy," he said.
Donald Trump's Job Approval Rating
Trump's approval rating currently stands at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of -3 points. That is in line with his approval rating from previous days, according to Newsweek's tracker, which shows his approval rating has remained steady, around 48 percent, peaking at 49 percent on March 6.
His disapproval rate has also mostly remained at 48 percent, hitting a low of 47 percent on March 6.
How Donald Trump's Approval Rating Compares to Joe Biden's
Trump's 47 percent approval rating is lower than former President Joe Biden's popularity at the same point in his presidency on March 28, 2021, when he had an approval rating of 53 percent and a disapproval rating of 43 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Polls released in the days after Trump's inauguration showed his popularity at an all-time high. However, he was still the least popular president in recent times.
According to Gallup's first poll of Trump's second term, conducted between January 21 and 27, his initial approval rating was 47 percent. The pollster said this figure made him less popular than any president since 1953 at the start of a term and the only one to begin with a sub-50 percent approval rating. Gallup said Biden started his first term with a 57 percent approval rating.
How Donald Trump's Approval Rating Compares to First Term
The RealClearPolitics tracker shows that on March 28, 2017, Trump's approval rating was 42 percent, while his disapproval rating was 52 percent, giving him a net approval rating of -10 points, making Trump more popular now than at the same point in his first term.
What People Are Saying
Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek: "It's a bit premature to say that Trump's honeymoon is over. Yet it's certainly the case that the luster of his inauguration is starting to fade. Trump promised Americans that prices would precipitously decline immediately after taking office. While most Trump voters are willing to give the president more time for his economic plans to unfold, others are starting to recognize that Trump has no silver bullet for the economy. Not only that, but his two marquee policy items - tariffs and mass deportations - could hardly be more inflationary."
Paul Whiteley, a professor of political science at the University of Essex, told Newsweek: "The well-established relationship between consumer confidence and Presidential approval means that the latter is likely to fall in the near future as confidence declines. By the mid-terms next year, the full consequences of present policies will be apparent and if they are as bad for the US economy as some economists think the Republicans could take a real beating losing control of the House and the Senate."
What Happens Next
Trump's approval rating will likely fluctuate in the coming weeks depending on the outcome of key events, including critical negotiations on the Russia-Ukraine war, the growing tariff battle with countries such as Canada, and concerns about a recession.
Update 3/28/25, 12:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Thomas Gift.
Update 3/28/25, 1:43 p.m. ET: This article was updated to reflect that Gallup's approval rating for Trump is 45 percent.
Update 3/29/25, 11:25 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Whiteley.
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