The latest Fox News poll shows voters hold President Donald Trump responsible for the current economy, with 59 percent of all voters disapproving of the job he is doing. Ongoing cost of living pressures, the government shutdown and the state of the economy combined to give Trump his lowest approval rating since reentering the White House. Why It Matters Trump’s approval rating has been “in a free fall” for weeks, according to pollster Nate Silver. The political analyst says the president’s net approval rating is now at “the lowest it’s been during his second term.” Approval ratings are useful to gauge the mood of the nation and the public’s response to Trump’s policies. What To Know The Fox News poll found 76 percent of voters view the economy negatively. Large numbers-including majorities of Republicans-told pollsters that their groceries (85 percent), health care (67 percent), housing (66 percent) and utility costs (78 percent) have spiked this year. On Monday, the president told a summit of McDonald’s franchise owners that “this is also the golden age of America, because we are doing better than we’ve ever done as a country. Prices are coming down.” With beef prices at record highs, some Americans are struggling to afford fast food such as the president’s favorite Big Macs. Trump’s 41 percent approval rating at this point of his term is lower than Joe Biden’s 44 percent mark in November 2021. Nearly two thirds of voters polled by Fox say Trump is more responsible for the current economy than Biden (62 percent versus 32 percent). Perhaps surprisingly, 42 percent of Republicans blame the president for the economy, while 53 percent say Biden is responsible. Only once have Trump’s approval ratings been lower, after the first indictments in Robert Mueller’s Russia probe back in October 2017. Voters also said that the non-executive branches of government are failing to live up to their constitutional obligations. Majorities of those polled say Congress (64 percent) and the Supreme Court (63 percent) are ceding too much of their constitutional authority to the president. Conducted by Braun Research, the poll interviewed 1, 005 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump at the U. S.-Saudi Investment Forum at the Kennedy Center: “So my poll numbers just went down, but with smart people they’ve gone way up.” Republican pollster Daron Shaw: “The situation isn’t complicated. People are struggling to afford necessities and blaming those in charge. What’s interesting is watching Democrats gain politically from a problem they arguably caused-and that crushed them in 2024. But that’s politics.” What Happens Next Continued low approval ratings among core supporters may prove problematic for Republicans in the 2026 midterms.
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-approval-rating-second-term-low-11078701
