Voters reflect the economy as Trump continues his economic policies

Voters are starting to feel a bit more optimistic about the economy, although overall sentiment remains negative. According to a recent Fox News survey, positive ratings of the economy have gradually increased since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. In March, only 21% of respondents viewed the economy positively, but that number has risen to 31% in the latest survey. This is comparable to the sentiment at the end of the Biden administration in January 2025. Interestingly, during the previous four years, positive ratings of the economy surpassed the current rating only once, reaching 32% in June 2024. At the end of Trump’s first term, 33% of respondents gave positive marks to economic conditions in December 2020, with a high of 55% in January 2020 before the onset of the pandemic.

Currently, 62% of respondents believe that their families are either getting ahead (14%) or holding steady financially (48%), which is a 5-point increase since January. The percentage of respondents who feel they are falling behind financially has decreased to 36%, the lowest in four years.

Despite these positive trends, overall economic sentiment remains bleak. A staggering 84% of respondents are extremely or very concerned about inflation, with 68% rating economic conditions as only fair or poor, and 55% feeling pessimistic about the economy.

The survey also revealed that Democrats, Independents, women, and voters without a college degree are more likely to view the economy in a negative light, while Republicans, men, and college graduates tend to have a more positive outlook.

When asked about the federal budget legislation passed by the House of Representatives, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), respondents expressed mixed opinions. By a margin of 21 points, voters oppose the legislation, with only 38% in favor and 59% against. Approximately half of respondents believe the bill would negatively impact their families, while a quarter think it would help, and another quarter believe it would make no difference.

Views on the OBBB are highly partisan, with Republicans generally in favor of the legislation (73%), and Democrats (89%) and Independents (73%) opposed. Even among Republicans who support the bill, less than half believe it will benefit their families.

Overall, 57% of respondents believe that tariffs hurt the economy, the highest percentage ever recorded in Fox News surveys, with only a fraction of respondents thinking that tariffs actually help.

In terms of President Trump’s handling of key issues, the survey shows that a majority of respondents approve of his approach to border security (53%), while he receives negative marks on other issues such as immigration (46% approve), foreign policy (42% approve), the economy (40% approve), and inflation (34% approve).

President Trump’s overall job approval stands at 46%, with 54% of respondents disapproving. Approval ratings are highest among men under age 45 (55% approve) and White men without a college degree (54% approve). The survey also revealed that 7 in 10 Republicans consider themselves part of the MAGA movement, with a whopping 98% of them approving of the President’s performance.

In terms of personal favorability, President Trump’s ratings are underwater by 10 points, with 45% of respondents having a favorable opinion and 55% holding an unfavorable view. This places him on par with other public figures such as JD Vance, Joe Biden, and Marco Rubio, but behind figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kamala Harris, who have higher favorability ratings.

When it comes to top concerns among voters, the future of the U.S. narrowly edges out inflation as the most pressing issue, with 85% expressing worry about the direction of the country. Other major concerns include government spending, Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, antisemitism, illegal immigration, and the use of the U.S. military domestically.

Overall, the survey highlights the complex and polarized views of voters on a range of economic and political issues. Despite some positive trends in economic sentiment, there is still a high level of concern about inflation, government spending, and the overall direction of the country. The results of the survey provide valuable insights into the prevailing attitudes and opinions of American voters in the current political landscape.