A recent Fox News Poll indicates that 76% of voters hold a negative view of the economy, highlighting concerns over the rising costs of groceries, utilities, healthcare, and housing. This discontent is attributed to voters believing that President Donald Trump’s economic policies have harmed them more than former President Joe Biden’s, with Trump’s approval for the economy hitting a new low. Disapproval of Trump’s overall job performance has also reached record highs among his core supporters, indicating a shift in public perception.
The poll also reveals that large numbers of overall voters and Republicans report that costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare, and housing have increased this year. Voters are largely blaming the president for the current economic situation, with twice as many citing Trump as responsible rather than Biden. In fact, three times as many voters say Trump’s policies have hurt them, similar to what was observed during Biden’s tenure. Additionally, Trump’s overall job approval has plummeted, with 58% disapproving of his performance, a significant drop from previous months.
The survey further highlights that personal and national economic evaluations remain negative, with 76% of voters rating the economy as fair or poor and fewer than one in five believing inflation is under control. The cost of utilities, healthcare, housing, and gasoline has increased, with 85% of voters reporting higher grocery prices. These financial difficulties are particularly pronounced among non-college-educated voters, Hispanics, Blacks, and those with household incomes below $50,000, where 79% rate their financial situation negatively.
When comparing Trump’s and Biden’s economic policies, the survey shows that voters think Trump is more responsible for the current economy, with a 31-point margin in favor of this view. However, the survey indicates that there is a significant partisan divide, with Democrats being nearly 40 percentage points more likely than Republicans to blame Trump for economic issues. The data also reveals that Republicans are split, with 42% blaming Trump, while 53% place the blame on Biden. Among independents, 62% blame Trump, and 29% blame Biden.
Furthermore, the poll indicates that voters believe Republicans have a better plan for border security, immigration, and crime, while Democrats are seen as better on affordability, wages, healthcare, and climate change. Despite these divisions, the survey suggests that the current economic situation has created a political shift, with Democrats gaining ground from a problem that they were previously associated with. The poll also highlights that the government shutdown was not a political win for any party, with nearly two-thirds disapproving of how Trump, congressional Republicans, and Democrats handled the situation.
The survey underscores that the majority of voters believe political leaders do not care about their struggles, with more than half feeling that neither party in Congress nor Trump is attentive to their issues. This growing frustration is compounded by the deteriorating views of key political figures, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose favorable ratings have hit a record low. The poll also indicates that the public is increasingly concerned about the failure of different branches of government to perform their constitutional duties, with two-third expressing concern that the legislative and judicial branches are not adequately checking the executive branch’s authority.