President Donald Trump’s approval on the economy has slipped to 30%, down from 38% in March, as Americans grow more pessimistic about prices and the direction of the country. Just 23% now approve of how Trump is handling the cost of living, while 76% disapprove.
The nationwide poll, conducted April 16-20, 2026, among 2,596 adults, found 73% describing the U.S. economy as poor, up from 66% in February. About 7 in 10 Americans said the national economy is poor, and 72% said the country is headed in the wrong direction, underscoring a broader sense of unease that now hangs over the White House’s economic message.
Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 33%, down from 38% in March, while his favorability is 33% compared with 34% in February. The poll suggests voters are separating their view of Trump himself from their judgment on the economy, with his personal numbers holding closer to steady even as his economic standing weakens.
That split comes as rising gas prices, linked by many respondents to the ongoing war in Iran, add to pressure on household budgets. The result is a mood that looks stubbornly sour: public views of Vice President JD Vance have remained consistent, and views of the Republican and Democratic parties have also stayed about the same, leaving the economy as the clearest point of strain.
For Trump, the numbers point to a familiar problem with a sharper edge. Voters are not just worried about prices; they are saying the recovery story is no longer believable, and that makes the economy the issue most likely to shape the next stretch of his presidency.