President Trump’s numbers are falling, as many Americans harbor concerns about the economy. His approval now stands at 36% — according to the latest NPR/ PBS News/Marist Poll — a new low.
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President Trump is getting low marks from the American people as many harbor lingering concerns about the state of the economy. According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, Mr. Trump’s approval rating stands at just 36%. That’s lowest of both his terms in office dating back to 2017. NPR political reporter Elena Moore has been talking with poll respondents about how they’re feeling and has this report.
ELENA MOORE, BYLINE: Thirty-six-year-old Georgia voter Regina Kulenga backed President Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024. But in 2026, he’s lost her support.
REGINA KULENGA: Where is the relief for America? None. You know, you’re looking like, hey, is this the president that I really voted for?
MOORE: She says her family has struggled with high gas prices and grocery costs and argues that Trump hasn’t made good on his promises, so she feels let down.
KULENGA: A lot of the things that he did promise, we’re still waiting. I was a big Trump supporter, you know, in the beginning. And then, now, we want him out the office. He’s not doing anything right now for the economy but making things a lot worse.
MOORE: Kulenga isn’t alone. According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 22% of Republicans. That number climbs much higher for independents at 65% and Democrats at 93%.
ERICA THOMPSON: I don’t think that anybody feels better off economically now than they did before Trump.
MOORE: Erica Thompson (ph) is a 41-year-old Democrat living in Portland, Oregon. She says her family is able to make ends meet and get by, but they’re still affected by rising prices. She remembers breaking a hundred dollars at the gas station while filling up her minivan a couple of times this spring.
THOMPSON: Things are not getting better for the average person. Things are only getting better for the people at the very top.
MOORE: It comes as a third of Americans say gas prices are a major strain on their household budget, and more than 2 in 10 cite costs as a reason why they’ve decided not to take a vacation this summer. But that doesn’t include 68-year-old Trump supporter Greg Votel, who lives in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a popular vacation area.
GREG VOTEL: My buddy owns a resort. He’s completely full. You look at the grocery store up here, you should see the plates – Nebraska, Iowa, Dakotas, Wisconsin, Illinois. I’d say business is good.
MOORE: Even as some Trump voters sour on the president, Votel is part of a majority of Republicans sticking with him.
VOTEL: People have got so used to getting everything quickly. They expect the fix to be just as quick. It isn’t going to happen. It’s going to take some time. It’s going to probably take at least two administrations.
MOORE: And if you believe in the man, he adds, hold your ground.
Elena Moore, NPR News.
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