More Americans now disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy

[Simone Del Rosario]

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is on the decline nearly a month after returning to the White House. And it’s the economy that’s really dragging down Americans’ perceptions.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll was taken from February 13 to 18. It found 44% of respondents approved of the job Trump is doing. That’s down slightly from 45% at the end of January and 47% in the first two days of his presidency.

Since the president took office, the number of respondents who disapprove of the job he’s doing jumped 10 percentage points to 51%.

And for the first time in his very early term, more Americans now disapprove of how he’s handling the economy.

Only 39% approve while 47% disapprove. However, that 39% approval rating is still higher than the 34% who approved of Biden’s handling of the economy in December.

Overall, more than half of respondents (53%) say the economy is on the wrong track. That’s up a stark 10 percentage points from late January’s 43%.

Donald Trump:

I won on groceries. It’s a very simple word, groceries.

I won an election based on that. We’re going to bring those prices way down.

Simone Del Rosario:

When it comes to inflation, only 32% approve of how Trump plans to handle rising prices, something that he says got him in the White House.

Inflation rose half a percent in January, its fastest pace in a year and a half. And the annual price rise of 3% was higher than expected. Of course, for most of January, Biden was still in office. February’s inflation data will come out March 12.

Now let’s turn to Trump’s favorite word.

Donald Trump:

I always say Tariffs is the most beautiful word to me in the dictionary.

Because Tariffs are going to make us rich as hell. It’s going to bring our country’s business back that left us.

Simone Del Rosario:

The Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Americans are doubtful. Fifty-four percent of respondents say they are against new tariffs on imported goods from other countries. Last week, Trump instituted reciprocal tariffs.

Donald Trump:

“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. No more, no less. In other words – they charge us a tax or tariff and we charge them the exact same tax or tariff, very simple.”

Simone Del Rosario:

Forty-one percent of respondents are in favor of new tariffs overall. More Americans support tariffs on goods from China – 49% expressed their support.

Earlier this month, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to its lowest level in seven months as Americans fear tariffs could hurt their purchasing power.

On the brighter side, Trump still enjoys a 47% approval rating on his immigration policy, which hasn’t changed much since he took office.

The story is a little different overall when looking at polling firm Rasmussen, which AllSides reports has a right-leaning bias. This poll found 47% say President Trump is on the right track, while only 46% say he’s heading in the wrong direction. Rasmussen says it’s the first time in 20 years the right track outpaced the wrong direction.

On Wednesday, the same firm said 35% of voters surveyed favor repealing a constitutional amendment to allow President Trump to seek a third term. Fifty-nine percent disapprove of changing the Constitution.