Seven in ten Americans now disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS, marking the lowest Trump economy approval rating of his political career. The survey, conducted between April 30 and May 4 among a probability-based panel, found just 30% approve of Trump's economic stewardship -- a net approval rating of -40. The collapse represents a 36-point swing from January 2025, when Trump held a +12 net rating on the economy.
The findings expose a stark disconnect between the White House's economic messaging and lived reality for most Americans. While the administration touts business investment rising over 10% in Q1 2026 and surging private payroll growth, 77% of Americans -- including a majority of Republicans -- say Trump's policies have increased the cost of living in their communities. With CPI inflation at 3.8%, gas prices elevated, and housing affordability at multi-decade lows, the gap between Wall Street metrics and Main Street experience has become a defining political fault line heading into the 2026 midterms.
What happened
The CNN/SSRS poll paints a damning picture across nearly every economic dimension. Only 33% approve of Trump's handling of support for the middle class. Just 26% approve on inflation. And a mere 21% approve of his handling of gas prices -- a particularly sensitive metric given that energy costs have surged following U.S. military operations tied to the Iran conflict and tariff-driven supply disruptions.
The cost-of-living finding is especially striking: 77% of respondents, including a majority of self-identified Republicans, say Trump's policies have directly increased prices in their own communities. This crosses partisan lines in a way that few economic indicators do. The poll was conducted online and by phone with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points, giving it strong statistical reliability.
Meanwhile, the White House has been aggressively promoting positive economic data. The U.S. Treasury's quarterly economic statement highlighted business investment rising over 10% in Q1 2026, driven by equipment spending and intellectual property investments. Private payroll growth surged to more than 2.5 times the monthly average seen in 2025, according to official data. The administration also points to stock market gains -- the S&P 500 is up more than 20% year-to-date -- as evidence of economic strength. But the CNN poll suggests these top-line metrics are not translating into public confidence. The disconnect is driven by inflation (CPI at 3.8% annually, the highest since May 2023), energy costs amplified by geopolitical conflict, and a housing affordability crisis that has priced millions of Americans out of homeownership.