- President Trump’s approval rating fell to 44% in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. The economy proved to be the biggest factor in the survey.
- Inflation rose 3% annually in January, the highest since June 2024.
- Consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in seven months as Americans fear that tariffs could hurt their purchasing power.
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President Donald Trump’s approval rating dropped slightly after just shy of one month in the White House. Concerns about the economy are weighing the president down.
Forty-four percent of respondents approve of the job Trump has done so far, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll taken from Feb. 13 to 18. His approval fell one percentage point from the latest survey taken at the end of January, and is down three percentage points from the first two days of his presidency.
Since Inauguration Day, the number of respondents who disapprove of the job the president is doing surged from 41% to 51%, according to Reuters and Ipsos.
Meanwhile, the poll found more Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy for the first time since he reentered the White House. Only 39% approve of Trump’s economic policies while 47% disapprove.
However, Trump’s approval rating in this arena is still higher than the 34% who approved of Biden’s handling of the economy in December.
In February, more than half of the respondents, 53%, said the economy is on the wrong track, up considerably from 43% at the end of January.
So how is the economy?
Inflation was a big issue on the campaign trail in 2024. But now that Trump has taken the reins, only 32% of respondents approve of the president’s plan to handle rising prices.
Consumer prices rose at a faster pace than expected in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week. The 3% annual rise in inflation was the highest since June 2024, and follows an increase of 2.9% in December.
How do Americans feel about tariffs?
The Reuters/Ipsos poll found Americans are doubtful about the positive effects of tariffs. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they are against new tariffs on imported goods from other countries. Last week, Trump announced his policy on reciprocal tariffs.
“I have decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff, meaning whatever countries charge the United States of America, we will charge them,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “No more, no less. In other words, they charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax or tariff.”
Overall, 41% of respondents are in favor of new tariffs. However, 49% of Americans expressed support for tariffs on goods from China.
Earlier this month, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to its lowest level in seven months as Americans fear that tariffs could hurt their purchasing power.
Trump still has a 47% approval rating on his immigration policy, which hasn’t changed much since he took office, according to Reuters.