Nearly every American town has a gas station on the corner, and these days, people aren’t just stopping to fill up; they’re also mentally calculating while they do it. According to CNN’s most recent survey, that silent, grinding annoyance now has a name: 31%. That represents the percentage of Americans who continue to support Donald Trump’s economic policies. It’s the lowest number CNN has found for him in relation to this matter. Never. It also didn’t come silently.
Approximately two-thirds of Americans believe that Trump’s policies have actively made economic conditions worse, according to a survey conducted by SSRS among 1,201 adults between March 26 and 30. This percentage has increased by 10 points since January alone.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Donald John Trump |
| Born | June 14, 1946 — Queens, New York City |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Current Role | 47th President of the United States (2025–present) |
| Previous Role | 45th President of the United States (2017–2021) |
| Poll Conducted By | CNN / SSRS |
| Poll Date | March 26–30, 2026 |
| Sample Size | 1,201 U.S. Adults (Online + Phone) |
| Margin of Error | ±3.2% |
| Economy Approval Rating | 31% (All-time low in CNN polling) |
| Inflation Approval Rating | 27% (down from 44% one year ago) |
| Overall Approval Rating | 35% |
| Gas Price Avg. (National) | Over $4.00/gallon — first time since 2022 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% (February 2026, per BLS) |
| Inflation Rate | 2.4% (February 2026, per BLS) |
To put things in perspective, that is a harsher public verdict than anything Joe Biden encountered during his presidency. That isn’t spin. It’s difficult to ignore the data.
The location of the slide makes it feel more significant than a normal midterm dip. Republicans, who have traditionally been Trump’s most dependable ally, are beginning to show signs of weakness. Since January, GOP voters’ approval of his economic policies has decreased by 14 points. That figure is 23 points for Republicans under 45.
Compared to just 13% at the beginning of the year, nearly 3 out of 10 Republicans now believe that his policies have made the economy worse. That’s not marginal erosion. That’s core movement.
The cost of gas plays a significant role. Due to the ongoing military conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran’s subsequent restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pump averages surpassed $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022. Press briefings have no bearing on the oil markets, and the ripple effect quickly affected American wallets.
Roughly 63% of respondents claimed that their households had experienced at least some financial hardship as a result of rising gas prices; 15% described it as severe. Polls can capture this kind of everyday, visible, inevitable suffering, but politicians tend to underestimate it. Trade deficits can be discussed abstractly. What you just paid at the pump cannot be disputed.
When asked in an open-ended format what the nation’s biggest problem was, one Republican respondent didn’t hold back: “Prices! Everything is very costly. makes it extremely challenging to do anything but work and return home.
One person said, “Grocery store trips are ridiculous.” However, it seems like a lot of people’s weeks. Economic issues were cited as the top concern by 40% of respondents, which is more than twice as many as any other category.
Observing all of this, it seems as though the administration’s messaging has fallen short of the reality that people are living in. According to seven out of ten Americans, Trump lacks a clear strategy for addressing gas prices. Only 24% of people think he handled the situation well. In the meantime, 67% of respondents claim he hasn’t been paying enough attention to the nation’s most pressing issues; this percentage has been annoyingly steady since last summer.
The White House may think that some of the domestic economic discomfort will be absorbed by the war narrative and foreign policy stance. However, the figures indicate that may not be occurring at all.
Approval of foreign policy is also declining. Since January, the percentage of people who believe that Trump’s actions abroad have harmed America’s reputation has increased by six points to 63%. His handling of foreign affairs is only approved by 36% of respondents. The TSA lines and airport delays caused by the partial DHS shutdown aren’t helping either. Republicans are blamed for that situation by 39% of Americans, while Democrats are blamed by 25%.
Democrats may anticipate profiting, but there’s a catch. In general, 74% believe that congressional Democrats also have the wrong priorities. Both parties are viewed as equally off-track by independents. A president who is losing support and an opposition party that hasn’t persuaded the public that it has solutions make for an odd political moment.
It’s difficult to ignore the fact that partisan identity and ideology haven’t changed the most. It’s the actual experience of checking a bank account, filling a tank, and visiting the grocery store. A rival’s attack advertisement was not the cause of Trump’s all-time low on the economy. People drove somewhere this week and felt it, which is why it arrived.