New Brutal Poll Hammers Trump

Most Americans now blame President Trump’s policies for high prices, and his economic approval just hit a new low.

Story Snapshot

About 65% blame Trump’s policies for persistently high prices.
Only about 17% approve of his handling of the cost of living.
Economic job approval fell to roughly 26%–30% in AP-NORC polling.
The survey used 2,140 adults from a national probability panel.

Polling shows a clear price blame on the incumbent

Associated Press and The Associated Press-NORC Center reporting says most Americans now point to Trump’s policies as a driver of high prices. Their October coverage highlights that 65% assign policy blame.

That is not a marginal gripe; it is a mainstream view that crosses party lines, even if intensity differs by side. The same reporting puts approval of Trump’s handling of the cost of living near the basement, with only about two in ten offering a thumbs-up.

The polling series also shows his broad economic rating sliding. The Associated Press and The Associated Press-NORC Center described the newest economy approval as a fresh low, after an earlier dip to about 30% in April.

That is a steep fall from numbers that once anchored his brand as a business-first leader. This is not a one-off blip. The trajectory runs alongside months of frustration with rising prices and strained family budgets.

Most Americans blame Donald Trump for high prices as midterms approach, a new AP-NORC poll finds https://t.co/UyN3mdY2Mu

— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) October 1, 2026

Cost-of-living pain is the fulcrum of opinion

Voters react most to the prices they see every week. Gas, groceries, utilities, and rent shape how people grade leaders. The Associated Press coverage ties this slide to high gas prices and broader price stickiness that families say will not quit.

When the price board at the corner station jumps, people notice. When bills reset higher and stay there, they blame the person in charge. That is classic accountability politics, and it is playing out again now.

Critics of the poll will likely argue that global shocks and wars move prices more than any one policy. That point has some truth, but it does not erase voter logic.

If policies raise trade frictions, limit supply, or stoke uncertainty, people will judge the results. Common sense says leaders own the outcomes they shape and the ones they choose not to fix with speed and clarity.

Method matters, but the pattern is consistent

The Associated Press-NORC Center ran the late September survey using 2,140 adults from The National Opinion Research Center’s AmeriSpeak probability panel. That design aims to reflect the country, not a self-selected crowd.

While different waves have reported slightly different levels, the direction stays the same: lower grades on cost of living and the economy over time. Associated Press summaries also note some Republican slippage, which signals the problem isn’t limited to one party’s base.

Other Associated Press polling this year shows linked strains: worries about jobs, electricity costs, and the general cost of living. These trends move with the same weather system—people feel squeezed and don’t see a clear plan to cool prices fast. Voters usually punish the leader on deck when that happens. The calendar adds pressure as midterms near, because price pain turns into a shortcut for ballot choices.

The political stakes for the months ahead

Midterms sharpen focus on three questions that decide wallet votes. First, will gas and grocery prices finally fall in a way people can feel? Second, can the White House explain a plan that seems simple, strong, and fast? Third, will Republicans close ranks or keep splitting on price blame and solutions? If the answers break the wrong way, the low approval scores could harden into a ceiling on broader support.

Most Americans blame Trump for high prices as midterms approach, a new AP-NORC poll findshttps://t.co/rBeuZjvBHt

— Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) October 1, 2026

Policy clarity can still move opinion. Rapid steps to boost energy supply, ease shipping costs, and cut red tape can show action. Straight talk also matters.

Voters reward leaders who say what hurts, what helps, and when relief will land. If daily prices stop punching people in the face, approval can rebound. If not, the current poll may be less a dip than a new baseline for how Americans judge the economy under Trump.