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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump’s approval rating has enjoyed a modest rebound with low-income Americans, according to a new poll.
Newsweek contacted the White House via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump's approval ratings among low-income Americans have emerged as a closely watched metric in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections. These voters—defined as adults in households earning under $50,000 annually—were key to Trump's victories in 2016 and again in 2024, helping him make inroads in battleground states.
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What To Know
The latest polling from The Economist/YouGov series highlights recent fluctuations in Trump’s approval ratings among adults in households with incomes below $50,000.
Recent polling swings among this group underscore the political volatility of the moment and highlight growing economic anxiety among U.S. households already struggling with inflation and cost-of-living pressures.
In the December 26–29, 2025 poll, 38 percent of respondents in this income bracket approved of Trump’s performance while 54 percent disapproved, giving a net approval rating of -16 percentage points.
The January 2–5, 2026 wave saw approval drop to 34 percent and disapproval spike to 61 percent, leaving Trump with a net approval rating of -27 points.
But most recently, the January 9–12, 2026 poll reports a modest rebound: 36 percent approve, 54 percent disapprove, giving a -18 point approval rating.
All three Economist/YouGov surveys drew from YouGov's online opt-in panel, selecting samples to be representative of U.S. adult citizens (18+), with weights applied for gender, age, race, education, region, 2024/2020 turnout, party ID, and voter registration.
Margins of error ranged from plus or minus 3.3 percent to plus or minus 3.6 percent, calculated with weighting adjustments.
Each wave surveyed between 1,550 and 1,602 respondents and used web-based interviews only.
The Bigger Picture
National polling shows Trump’s overall approval hovering around 41–45 percent at the end of his first year back in office, according to various aggregates.
According to Decision Desk HQ's aggregate of hundreds of polls, Trump’s approval rating stood at 42.4 percent, with disapproval at 54.5 percent, giving a net approval rating of -12.1 percentage points as of January 13.
This polling tracker averages recent credible polls—prioritizing trusted sources and newer data—to provide a clear, up-to-date snapshot of public opinion.
And as of January 14, the Rasmussen Reports daily tracker put the president’s approval rating at 45 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval, giving a net approval rating of -8 points.
Rasmussen’s daily tracker surveys 300 likely voters each night by phone and reports the results as a rolling five‑day average. To reach people without landlines, it also uses an online system that randomly draws participants from a broad, demographically diverse panel.
But the President’s approval figures are considerably lower when Americans are asked specifically about his handling of the economy.
A December NPR/PBS/Marist poll of 1,440 U.S. adults found just 36 percent approval for Trump on economic management, his lowest mark in six years.
The survey used phone, text, and online interviews, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 points for adults and or minus 3.4 for registered voters.
What People Are Saying
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle previously told Newsweek: "President Trump was overwhelmingly elected by nearly 80 million Americans to deliver on his popular and common sense agenda. The president has already made historic progress not only in America but around the world. It is not surprising that President Trump remains the most dominant figure in American politics."
White House spokesperson Kush Desai said: "President Trump and every member of his administration are clear-eyed about the fact that Americans continue to reel from the lingering effects of Joe Biden's generational economic crisis…Much work remains, and every member of the Trump administration continues to focus on recreating the historic job, wage, and economic growth that Americans enjoyed during President Trump's first term."
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social in December: "The polls are rigged even more than the writers. The real number is 64 percent, and why not, our Country is 'hotter' than ever before. Isn't it nice to have a STRONG BORDER, No Inflation, a powerful Military, and great Economy???"
Scott Tranter, director at Decision Desk HQ, said in December: "Roughly a year in, he’s right in the middle. He’s right where, basically, he’s been all year, which is unremarkable. It’s remarkable because it’s unremarkable."
What Happens Next
With voter sentiment among low-income Americans swinging from sharp declines to modest rebounds, the data suggest the 2026 midterm elections may hinge on which party can present a credible plan to address affordability and economic stability.
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