WASHINGTON — Americans are growing increasingly concerned about their ability to find a good job under President Donald Trump, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds. This emerging worry poses a potential warning sign for Republicans as a once-promised economic boom has given way to hiring freezes and elevated inflation.
High prices for groceries, housing, and health care continue to weigh heavily on many households. Rising electricity bills and the cost of gas at the pump are also significant sources of anxiety, according to the survey.
Some 47% of U.S. adults are “not very” or “not at all confident” they could find a good job if they wanted to, an increase from 37% when last asked in October 2023. Electricity bills are a “major” source of stress for 36% of adults, amid concerns that the expected build-out of data centers for artificial intelligence could further tax the power grid.
More than half of respondents cited the cost of groceries as a “major” source of financial stress. About four in 10 said the cost of housing and health care were serious strains, and roughly one-third reported high stress over gasoline prices.
### Economic Challenges for Trump and Republicans
The survey underscores ongoing vulnerabilities for Trump, who returned to the White House in January claiming he could quickly tame the inflation that surged after the pandemic during President Joe Biden’s term. Instead, Trump’s popularity on the economy has remained low amid a mix of tariffs, federal worker layoffs, and partisan conflicts culminating in a government shutdown.
Linda Weavil, 76, who voted for Trump last year because he “seems like a smart businessman,” said in an interview that the Republican’s tariffs have worsened inflation. She cited the rising price of chocolate-covered pecans sold at her church fundraiser.
“I think he’s doing a great job on a lot of things, but I’m afraid our coffee and chocolate prices have gone up because of tariffs,” the Greensboro, North Carolina retiree said. “That’s a kick in the back of the American people.”
### Voter Sentiment on the Economy
The poll found that 36% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy, a figure that has held steady this year after tariffs caused broad economic uncertainty. Among Republicans, 71% feel positive about his economic leadership. Yet that approval within Trump’s own party remains relatively low, which could be problematic for Republicans in upcoming gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia next month, and potentially in the 2026 midterm elections.
At a similar point in Biden’s presidency in October 2021, an AP-NORC poll showed that 41% of U.S. adults approved of his economic handling, including about 73% of Democrats. That number was a bit higher than Trump’s current approval, mainly due to independents: 29% approved of Biden’s approach then, compared with just 18% now supporting Trump’s.
The job market was meaningfully stronger during Biden’s tenure as the U.S. recovered from pandemic lockdowns. However, hiring has slowed sharply under Trump, with monthly job gains averaging less than 27,000 since April’s tariff announcements. People clearly notice that difference: Four years ago, 36% expressed being “extremely” or “very” confident in their ability to get a good job. That number has dropped to 21% today.
Although Biden’s approval on the economy declined through mid-2022 when inflation hit a four-decade high—opening a path for Trump’s political comeback—public confidence remains shaky.
### Electricity Costs Are an Emerging Worry
In some ways, Trump’s policies have exacerbated inflation problems by cancelling funding for renewable energy projects and imposing tariffs on equipment needed for factories and power plants. These added costs come even before the expected construction boom of AI data centers, which could further increase electricity prices without expanded infrastructure.
While 36% of adults see electricity as a major concern, some have yet to feel serious financial pressure. In the survey, 40% called electricity costs a “minor” stress, and 23% said utility bills were “not a source” of stress.
Kevin Halsey, 58, of Normal, Illinois, said his monthly electricity bills jumped from about $90 in the summer—when he had solar panels—to $300 now. Halsey, a telecommunications worker who voted Democratic last year, described the economy as “crap” and expressed pessimism.
“I’ve got to be pessimistic,” he said. “I don’t see this as getting better.”
### Public Views on the Economy Remain Bleak
At a basic level, Trump faces the same economic dilemma that bedeviled Biden: the economy shows signs of strength—low unemployment, stock market gains, and decent growth—yet the public remains skeptical.
Some 68% of U.S. adults describe the economy as “poor,” while just 32% say it is “good,” consistent with sentiments over the past year. Additionally, 59% say their family finances are “holding steady,” but only 12% believe they are “getting ahead,” while 28% feel they are “falling behind.”
### Many Americans Feel Economic Precarity
The sense of economic insecurity comes from many directions, with worries about middle-class stability growing.
The vast majority of adults feel at least “minor” stress related to the costs of groceries, health care, housing, taxes, wages, and gasoline. Nearly half (47%) say they are “not very” or “not at all” confident they could cover an unexpected medical expense, and 52% lack confidence they have enough saved for retirement.
Moreover, 63% are “not very” or “not at all” confident they could buy a new home if they wanted to. Young adults feel this pressure most acutely: about 8 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 say they are not confident they could purchase a home, compared to around 6 in 10 adults aged 60 and older.
For 54% of adults, the cost of groceries is a “major source” of stress.
Unique Hopkins, 36, of Youngstown, Ohio, works two jobs after her teenage daughter had a baby. She describes herself as part of the “working poor.” Hopkins voted for Trump in 2016 but later switched to Democrats, feeling that Trump’s ego prevented him from uniting the country and addressing problems.
“It’s his way or no way,” she said. “Nobody is going to unite with Trump if it’s all about you, you, you.”
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