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In a sobering assessment of the current economic climate, a new Fox News survey reveals that Americans continue to hold deeply pessimistic views about the country’s financial health under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
The poll, released Wednesday, shows a majority of voters believe the nation is worse off today than a year ago. Specifically, 54% of respondents indicated the country’s condition has deteriorated, compared to just 31% who see improvement. This 23-point gap stems from overwhelming negativity among Democrats (84%) and independents (71%), while Republicans remain more optimistic with 61% believing the country is better off.
On a more personal level, only one-quarter of voters report improved financial circumstances compared to last year. More troublingly for the administration, over 40% of respondents believe Trump’s economic policies have directly harmed them financially—double the percentage who feel they’ve benefited. Another 40% perceive no impact either way.
This perception of harm from Trump’s economic policies has grown significantly when compared to his first term. While the number reporting negative effects has decreased slightly since November, it remains 22 points higher than in December 2018.
The overall economic outlook remains bleak, with 70% of voters describing the economy as being in “bad shape”—identical to polling results from January last year. Looking ahead, more voters expect further deterioration rather than improvement by a 13-point margin (45% worse versus 32% better), representing a significant shift from a year ago when optimism slightly outweighed pessimism.
“The president faces two difficult obstacles—the virtually unanimous and intractable opposition of Democrats and the stubbornness of high prices,” explains Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News polls alongside Democrat Chris Anderson. Shaw notes that Republican officials anticipate economic benefits from major legislation to materialize later this year, potentially bolstering GOP prospects in the midterm elections.
Trump’s overall job approval remains unchanged at 44%—comparable to George W. Bush’s rating at this point in his second term and slightly above Barack Obama’s 42%. While the president maintains strong support among Republicans (85%) and especially self-identified MAGA supporters (97%), his disapproval ratings have reached near all-time highs among white voters (54%), moderates (70%), and independents (78%).
A key factor in voter dissatisfaction appears to be the perception that Trump is prioritizing the wrong issues. Approximately 40% believe he spends too much time on foreign policy, while nearly half say the same about immigration and border security. Meanwhile, 70% think he isn’t focusing enough on the economy—a sentiment shared across party lines, including nearly half of Republicans.
When asked what Trump’s top priority should be, voters most frequently cited the economy and addressing high prices. Notably, “resigning” also ranked high, particularly among Democrats and many independents. Nevertheless, there’s bipartisan agreement that economic concerns should take precedence over immigration and foreign policy.
Consequently, Trump’s approval ratings remain underwater on most issues, including inflation (35% approve), tariffs (37%), healthcare (37%), and the broader economy (40%). His handling of international matters also receives poor marks, with negative ratings on Greenland (31% approve), Russia (38%), Ukraine (40%), Iran (41%), and Venezuela (42%).
Border security continues to be Trump’s only net positive area, with 52% approval—relatively stable compared to November (53%) and December (51%), though down from a September high of 57%.
The survey also explored voters’ views on foreign policy matters, revealing majorities oppose U.S. military intervention for regime change in Iran (59%) and Cuba (64%). Opinion is more divided regarding military action to bring Venezuelan President Maduro to the U.S. on drug charges, with 51% approving versus 48% disapproving. Military veterans showed stronger support for this potential action (72% approval).
Overall, 55% of voters believe America’s global standing has deteriorated over the past year, while only 30% see improvement. Republicans (59%), Trump voters (58%), and conservatives (54%) were the only groups where a majority expressed a more positive outlook.
The Fox News survey was conducted January 23-26, 2026, with 1,005 registered voters and has a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points.
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10 Comments
The poll results highlight the deep political divisions in the country. It’s clear the President still maintains strong support among Republican voters, even as independents and Democrats remain highly critical of his performance.
It will be important for the administration to address the economic concerns of voters if they hope to improve their standing heading into 2026.
The poll results suggest the President has work to do in order to convince more Americans that his economic policies are having a positive impact. Addressing perceptions of financial harm will be key to boosting his approval ratings.
It will be interesting to see if the President can shift the narrative and convince more voters that the country is heading in the right direction economically.
These findings underscore the challenges the President faces in uniting the country and restoring faith in the economy. With such stark partisan divides, it may be difficult for him to make significant inroads with skeptical voters.
It will be crucial for the administration to focus on policies that can appeal to a broader cross-section of the electorate.
These numbers highlight the ongoing political and economic challenges the President faces as he looks towards 2026. Bridging the partisan divide and demonstrating tangible improvements in people’s lives will be critical to his reelection prospects.
It remains to be seen whether the President can effectively communicate a compelling vision for the country’s future that resonates with a broader range of voters.
While President Trump’s approval rating is still low, it’s interesting to see that a significant portion of Americans believe the country’s condition has improved under his leadership. The economic perceptions seem quite mixed, with many feeling negatively impacted by his policies.
It will be fascinating to see how public sentiment continues to evolve as we approach the next election cycle.