A growing number of Americans believe that President Donald Trump’s policies have negatively impacted the nation’s economy, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. The survey reveals that 59% of the public now thinks Trump’s economic approach has worsened conditions in the country, a noticeable increase from 51% in March. This figure matches the lowest approval numbers President Joe Biden received regarding his economic handling during his tenure.
The poll reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the state of the U.S. economy. There is little excitement among Americans for the White House’s sweeping new trade initiatives, with most respondents pessimistic about the direction things are headed. Although many of Trump’s recently announced tariffs are yet to be implemented, 60% of those surveyed already say his policies have raised the cost of living in their communities. Only 12% believe that Trump’s actions have actually helped reduce prices.
The findings further show that 69% of Americans believe an economic recession within the next year is at least somewhat likely. Of that group, 32% think a recession is very likely. In terms of general economic outlook, only 34% of Americans describe themselves as enthusiastic or optimistic, while 29% are pessimistic and 37% say they feel afraid. Among those under the age of 45, 70% express pessimism or fear. This sentiment is shared even more strongly among Americans of color, with 76% reporting similar concerns.
This increasing dissatisfaction marks a notable change for Trump, who during his first term was often credited with strong economic management. In fact, Trump’s 2024 campaign heavily emphasized economic recovery, with the promise to “immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One.” He was particularly successful with voters who ranked economic concerns as their primary motivation, according to CNN’s exit poll data.
One Republican respondent, a 59-year-old from Georgia, expressed his anxiety over the current market turbulence and how it has impacted his retirement plans. “Everything I worked for all my life is rapidly [disappearing],” he wrote. “It will probably take years to recover what I have lost due to what’s going on.”
Despite this, Republican sentiment regarding the economy has improved slightly over the past month. Many within the GOP remain hopeful that the newly announced tariffs will have a long-term positive effect on the economy.
However, most Americans remain skeptical about Trump’s tariff strategy. A 55% majority says his tariff actions so far this term have been poor policy, while just 28% view them positively. Another 17% consider them neither good nor bad. Tariffs imposed specifically on Chinese imports are viewed a bit more favorably, though still mostly negatively: 53% say they are bad policy and 32% consider them good.
The poll was conducted between April 17 and April 24, shortly after the White House first announced a wave of new tariffs targeting dozens of countries, only to pause many of them shortly thereafter. During the survey period, the administration issued multiple contradictory statements about the state of international trade talks and the intended goals of the tariff plan. Overall, 58% of respondents say they do not believe Trump has a clear strategy for introducing and managing tariffs, while 42% believe he does.
Most Americans predict the tariffs will harm the economy in the short term. Specifically, 72% expect negative consequences for the U.S. economy, 60% foresee damage to the country’s global standing, and 59% believe their personal finances will be adversely affected. Fewer than 30% expect the tariffs to help in any of these areas.
Looking at the long-term picture, 53% think the tariffs will ultimately hurt the U.S. economy, compared to 34% who believe they will be beneficial. This view reflects a cautious optimism among some Republicans, who believe the initial damage could eventually lead to gains. Among GOP respondents, 47% think the tariffs will hurt the economy in the near future, but roughly three-quarters anticipate eventual benefits.
John Metcalf, a Democrat from Michigan, expressed concern about the unpredictability of Trump’s tariff policy. “I’m not an economics guy, but I can kind of see with what he’s doing with tariffs,” he said. “It’s just causing confusion. If you are a business owner and you’re thinking about the future, how in the world can you make decisions when he flips back and forth every other day?”
Public perception of the broader economy continues to be bleak. Only 28% describe current economic conditions as good, while 71% say they are poor. These numbers have remained virtually unchanged since fall 2023. Meanwhile, 47% of Americans are satisfied with their personal finances, which also shows little movement over recent years.
Underneath these stable numbers, there is growing partisan division. The percentage of Republicans who call the economy good has increased by 10 points since March, whereas Democratic approval has continued to decline. Republicans are now over ten times more likely than Democrats to say they are enthusiastic or optimistic about the economy.
Nonetheless, signs of discontent are emerging within the GOP. While 94% of Republicans say they trust Trump to manage the economy, only 63% believe his policies have improved conditions, and just 23% credit him with lowering living costs in their communities. Nearly as many Republicans think his tariff policies will hurt their personal finances (28%) as those who believe they will help (33%).
A Republican respondent from New Jersey observed, “The prices for energy, medical services, higher education, repair and maintenance continue to [rise]. I think that Pres. Trump’s program will help once they are given a chance.”
When asked to name their family’s biggest economic challenge, most Americans cite costs and inflation. That includes 28% who specifically mention inflation, 15% the overall cost of living, and 16% food prices. Those figures are largely unchanged from June 2024. However, some newer concerns are emerging: 9% cite tariffs, 7% mention investment or stock market worries, and 4% each say Trump’s policies and general economic uncertainty.
One Democrat from Pennsylvania wrote, “My wife lost her job due to the Trump administration DOGE cuts. We are suddenly down an income with costs rising all around us. My own job is at risk due to NIH grant cuts. Our retirement accounts are plummeting in value. Everything is just so, so much worse than it was before Trump took office.”
Among working Americans, half believe Trump’s tariff plans will hurt their industries, while just 11% say the impact will be beneficial. A respondent from Massachusetts explained, “I make board games and they can’t be made in the US. I have preorders I need to fulfill but can’t afford to with the tariffs. The profit I would have gotten from sales would have allowed my business to grow into a studio, hire people, etc. Now I will lose money.”
Even as the Trump administration promotes tariffs as a strategy to create new manufacturing jobs in the U.S., the public remains unconvinced. By a margin of 73% to 26%, Americans say they would personally prefer an office job to a manufacturing job with equal pay. Men are slightly more inclined toward manufacturing work, with 37% expressing that preference, which rises to 43% among Republican men.
The CNN poll surveyed 1,678 adults nationwide using online and telephone interviews. Conducted between April 17 and 24, the sample was drawn from a mix of probability-based online panels and registration-based sources. Initial contact was made via mail, phone, or email. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.