A Fox News poll is signaling widespread economic frustrations a year into President Donald Trump’s second term.
Trump is entering the 2026 midterm election year with a 44% approval rating as a majority of voters express continued frustration with the national economy.
A Fox News poll conducted Jan. 23-26 found that while the president’s standing has remained steady since late 2025, 70% of voters rate the economy as being in bad shape — a figure that has remained unchanged over the past year.
The survey reveals that only 24% of Americans believe they are financially better off than they were a year ago, while 39% say they are worse off.
The dissatisfaction is tied closely to the administration’s fiscal record, with 40% approval on the economy against 59 percent disapproval.
“The president faces two difficult obstacles — the virtually unanimous and intractable opposition of Democrats and the stubbornness of high prices,” said Daron Shaw, the Republican pollster who helps conduct Fox News polls. “Republican officeholders think the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill will kick in later this year, which will be critical for GOP prospects in the midterm elections.”
Trump’s approval rating on specific issues shows a divided electorate.
He maintains a 52% approval for border security, but his ratings are underwater on inflation at 35%, health care at 38%, and tariffs at 37%.
Assessments of his foreign policy stand at 39% approval, with specific ratings of 42% on Venezuela and 31% on Greenland.
While his overall 44% approval is 2 points higher than former President Barack Obama’s was at the same point in his second term, Trump faces near-record disapproval among key voting blocs.
Approximately 78% of independents and 70% of moderates disapprove of his performance.
The survey also notes a shift in expectations for the coming year.
In January 2025, voters believed the economy would improve by a 2-point margin. Today, 45% of adults believe the economy will worsen in 2026, while 32% expect it to get better.
This pessimism is partly driven by a decline in Republican optimism, which has fallen from 63% to 58% over the last year.
The Fox News poll included 1,000 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
