A CNBC survey puts Donald Trump’s approval rating on the economy at 34%, as rising living costs and economic concerns weigh on public opinion ahead of the US midterm elections.
WEB DESK: President Donald Trump’s approval rating on his handling of the US economy has fallen to a record low of 34% in a new CNBC survey, with 65% of respondents disapproving of his economic performance ahead of the November 3 congressional midterm elections.
The CNBC All-America Economic Survey, conducted October 14–18 among 1,000 registered voters, found that economic approval for Trump had declined four percentage points from July, when 38% approved of his handling of the economy. Disapproval increased from 60% to 65% over the same period.
The findings highlight continuing public concerns about the economy, household expenses and the cost of living as voters prepare to elect members of Congress.
Trump’s overall approval remains under pressure
The survey showed a difference between public assessments of Trump’s overall job performance and his handling of the economy.
According to CNBC’s findings, 40% of respondents approved of Trump’s overall performance as president, while 59% disapproved. His net economic approval stood at minus 31 percentage points, nine points lower than in July.
The economic approval figure was the lowest recorded for a president in CNBC’s polling series, which dates back to the Obama administration, according to the published report.
Cost of living remains a major concern
Rising household expenses remain a key issue for American consumers. Higher costs for essentials, including groceries and fuel, have contributed to concerns about purchasing power and the broader economic outlook.
A separate poll released by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research earlier in October found that only 26% of US adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy. Just 17% approved of his handling of the cost of living.
The AP-NORC survey was conducted September 24–28 among 2,140 US adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Its findings differ from CNBC’s because the polls used different samples, questions and survey methods.
The AP-NORC findings also showed that 65% of respondents blamed Trump’s policies more than factors outside his control for persistently high prices. However, most Republicans surveyed continued to attribute rising costs primarily to factors beyond the president’s control.
Economic concerns extend to Republican voters
Economic pessimism is not limited to voters who oppose Trump.
CNBC’s survey found that 63% of respondents held a negative view of current economic conditions and the outlook. Among Republicans, 35% expressed that pessimism, a six-percentage-point increase from July and the highest share recorded during either of Trump’s presidential terms in the survey.
The findings suggest that concerns about economic conditions have become more prominent among some members of the president’s own party. They do not, by themselves, establish how individual voters will vote in the midterm elections.
Midterm elections bring economic concerns into focus
The November 3 congressional elections will determine control of the US House of Representatives and Senate, making economic conditions an important issue in the campaign.
Trump and Republican candidates face questions about affordability, trade policy and the administration’s economic record. Democrats have also sought to make household costs a central issue in their campaign messaging.
Polling offers a snapshot of public opinion at the time surveys are conducted. It cannot establish the eventual election outcome, and national findings do not necessarily reflect conditions in individual congressional districts.
