By — Hannah Grabenstein Hannah Grabenstein Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trumps-economic-approval-rating-hits-new-low-poll-finds Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump's economic approval rating hits new low, poll finds Politics Jun 18, 2026 5:00 AM EDT A third of Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll finds, amounting to his lowest-ever approval rating on an issue long considered to be one of his strengths with voters. Sixty percent of Americans overall disapprove of Trump's economic approach. The 33% who approve mark the lowest since Marist began asking the question in 2019. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Economic anxieties were part of what fueled Trump's return to office. Seventy-seven percent of people who voted for Trump in 2024 approve of how he's handling that issue now. But some voting groups that Trump handily won aren't happy. That includes 54% of white voters without a college degree. High — but dropping — gas prices may be behind some of that disapproval. Seventy-eight percent of Americans said gas prices had some effect on their household budgets. Seventy-eight percent of Americans said gas prices had some effect on their household budgets, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Trump's economic approval rating is within the margin of error from his previous all-time low earlier this year. But it's also lower than what former President Joe Biden experienced at any point during his single term. In December 2020, right before Trump left office, half of Americans approved of how he was handling the economy. The data shows Americans are connecting affordability challenges, such as the high price of gas and rising food costs, with Trump's presidency, said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. For some, "it's Donald Trump, and that's where the slippage comes in. He can't get away with high prices at the pump and at the supermarket and not get tarnished by that," Miringoff said. A third of Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll finds, amounting to his lowest-ever approval rating on an issue long considered to be one of his strengths with voters. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Others who blamed high gas prices on Biden may remain in Trump's corner because they now believe the corporations are price gouging, he added. Gas prices are down about 50 cents per gallon from last month after rising steadily since March, but remain about 79 cents higher than they were last year. People may not yet be used to drops, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, adding that much of the U.S. still sees prices above $4 per gallon. Americans' dismal views on gas may also be reinforced by traditional and social media. "There is still some very real pain. The average fill-up is still in the ballpark of $8 to $16 more than it was a year ago," De Haan said. In this latest poll, 22% of Americans said they didn't feel a strain from gas prices at all, up 3 percentage points from May, within the margin of error. READ MORE: About 2 in 3 Americans blame Trump for rising gas prices The president's overall approval rating continues to drop, with 36% of adults saying they approve of the job he's doing. That continues a downward trend since March 2025, and is the lowest approval rating Trump has seen during his second term. Among independent voters, 64% say they either disapprove or strongly disapprove, and 18% of Republicans said the same. The president's overall approval rating continues to drop, the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist finds, with 36% of adults saying they approve of the job he's doing. It's the lowest approval rating Trump has seen during his second term. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Overall, Americans' economic concerns don't seem to be stopping their summer travel plans, with 55% percent of adults saying they plan on taking a vacation, down slightly from last year and exactly the same as when this question was asked in 2021. Those who make $50,000 a year or more are more likely to say they're taking a vacation (63%) than those whose incomes are under $50,000 (39%). But 66% of Americans overall said cost has somewhat or greatly affected their summer plans. Sixty-six percent of Americans said cost has somewhat or greatly affected their summer plans, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News More than a third of all respondents making under $50,000 said they weren't traveling because of costs. But many people who make around or slightly above the median wage are unlikely to hold back summer travel plans because of the price of gas, De Haan said. Even some lower-income households "are going to try to bend to make things work," he said. "They may just cut out restaurant trips, they may cut out entertainment [on] their road trips," he added. But those who make less than that may struggle to make replacements. "Americans are still making travel a priority," Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said in an email to PBS News. "People are not canceling travel so much as they are adjusting how they do it." The group is seeing people book shorter stays and show steady interest in budget and midscale hotel options, she added. READ MORE: What lagging jet fuel supplies could mean for airlines and travelers Of those who say they're not taking a vacation this summer, nearly half said cost was the main reason keeping them from traveling. Another 22% said they don't want to take a vacation this summer, while 10% each said their vacation is during a different time of the year or they have health concerns. Eight percent said they didn't have vacation time available. Opportunity may be a factor for parents who vacation, Miringoff added. While 68% of parents with children under 18 said they're planning on taking a vacation, that drops to 50% for people without children under 18 in their household. That may just be because parents with children in school see summer as available time. "There's an opportunity cost in the summer," De Haan said. "You get three months a year of terrific summer weather, kids are out of school — people aren't going to forgo that." There's a generational divide as well. Seventy-two percent of Gen Z respondents said they planned on taking a summer vacation, compared with 62% of millennials, 52% of Gen Xers and 41% of baby boomers and older generations. Miringoff said that while younger generations may not have the disposable income of older generations, they also may be more likely to take cost-saving measures on trips, such as sharing rental houses with friends. PBS News, NPR and Marist Poll conducted a survey from June 8 to 11, 2026, that polled 1,340 U.S. adults by phone, text and online with a margin of error of 3.0 percentage points, and 1,162 registered voters with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points. For Democrats, the margin of error is 5.6 percentage points; Republicans, 5.7 percentage points; independents, 5.9 percentage points. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Hannah Grabenstein Hannah Grabenstein @hgrabenstein
A third of Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll finds, amounting to his lowest-ever approval rating on an issue long considered to be one of his strengths with voters. Sixty percent of Americans overall disapprove of Trump's economic approach. The 33% who approve mark the lowest since Marist began asking the question in 2019. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Economic anxieties were part of what fueled Trump's return to office. Seventy-seven percent of people who voted for Trump in 2024 approve of how he's handling that issue now. But some voting groups that Trump handily won aren't happy. That includes 54% of white voters without a college degree. High — but dropping — gas prices may be behind some of that disapproval. Seventy-eight percent of Americans said gas prices had some effect on their household budgets. Seventy-eight percent of Americans said gas prices had some effect on their household budgets, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Trump's economic approval rating is within the margin of error from his previous all-time low earlier this year. But it's also lower than what former President Joe Biden experienced at any point during his single term. In December 2020, right before Trump left office, half of Americans approved of how he was handling the economy. The data shows Americans are connecting affordability challenges, such as the high price of gas and rising food costs, with Trump's presidency, said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. For some, "it's Donald Trump, and that's where the slippage comes in. He can't get away with high prices at the pump and at the supermarket and not get tarnished by that," Miringoff said. A third of Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll finds, amounting to his lowest-ever approval rating on an issue long considered to be one of his strengths with voters. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Others who blamed high gas prices on Biden may remain in Trump's corner because they now believe the corporations are price gouging, he added. Gas prices are down about 50 cents per gallon from last month after rising steadily since March, but remain about 79 cents higher than they were last year. People may not yet be used to drops, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, adding that much of the U.S. still sees prices above $4 per gallon. Americans' dismal views on gas may also be reinforced by traditional and social media. "There is still some very real pain. The average fill-up is still in the ballpark of $8 to $16 more than it was a year ago," De Haan said. In this latest poll, 22% of Americans said they didn't feel a strain from gas prices at all, up 3 percentage points from May, within the margin of error. READ MORE: About 2 in 3 Americans blame Trump for rising gas prices The president's overall approval rating continues to drop, with 36% of adults saying they approve of the job he's doing. That continues a downward trend since March 2025, and is the lowest approval rating Trump has seen during his second term. Among independent voters, 64% say they either disapprove or strongly disapprove, and 18% of Republicans said the same. The president's overall approval rating continues to drop, the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist finds, with 36% of adults saying they approve of the job he's doing. It's the lowest approval rating Trump has seen during his second term. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News Overall, Americans' economic concerns don't seem to be stopping their summer travel plans, with 55% percent of adults saying they plan on taking a vacation, down slightly from last year and exactly the same as when this question was asked in 2021. Those who make $50,000 a year or more are more likely to say they're taking a vacation (63%) than those whose incomes are under $50,000 (39%). But 66% of Americans overall said cost has somewhat or greatly affected their summer plans. Sixty-six percent of Americans said cost has somewhat or greatly affected their summer plans, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll. Graphic by Steff Staples/PBS News More than a third of all respondents making under $50,000 said they weren't traveling because of costs. But many people who make around or slightly above the median wage are unlikely to hold back summer travel plans because of the price of gas, De Haan said. Even some lower-income households "are going to try to bend to make things work," he said. "They may just cut out restaurant trips, they may cut out entertainment [on] their road trips," he added. But those who make less than that may struggle to make replacements. "Americans are still making travel a priority," Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said in an email to PBS News. "People are not canceling travel so much as they are adjusting how they do it." The group is seeing people book shorter stays and show steady interest in budget and midscale hotel options, she added. READ MORE: What lagging jet fuel supplies could mean for airlines and travelers Of those who say they're not taking a vacation this summer, nearly half said cost was the main reason keeping them from traveling. Another 22% said they don't want to take a vacation this summer, while 10% each said their vacation is during a different time of the year or they have health concerns. Eight percent said they didn't have vacation time available. Opportunity may be a factor for parents who vacation, Miringoff added. While 68% of parents with children under 18 said they're planning on taking a vacation, that drops to 50% for people without children under 18 in their household. That may just be because parents with children in school see summer as available time. "There's an opportunity cost in the summer," De Haan said. "You get three months a year of terrific summer weather, kids are out of school — people aren't going to forgo that." There's a generational divide as well. Seventy-two percent of Gen Z respondents said they planned on taking a summer vacation, compared with 62% of millennials, 52% of Gen Xers and 41% of baby boomers and older generations. Miringoff said that while younger generations may not have the disposable income of older generations, they also may be more likely to take cost-saving measures on trips, such as sharing rental houses with friends. PBS News, NPR and Marist Poll conducted a survey from June 8 to 11, 2026, that polled 1,340 U.S. adults by phone, text and online with a margin of error of 3.0 percentage points, and 1,162 registered voters with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points. For Democrats, the margin of error is 5.6 percentage points; Republicans, 5.7 percentage points; independents, 5.9 percentage points. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now