Approval of Trump’s economic policy hits 2-term low: Poll

President Trump is seeing the lowest economic approval ratings of either of his terms, according to a new poll. A new PBS News/NPR/Marist survey found that more than half of Americans, 57 percent, disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy. Thirty-six percent of respondents approve of his handling of the economy and 8 percent are unsure on the matter. The start of his second term has seen Trump impose steeper tariffs on trading partners, a move that experts say is having an impact on the global economic outlook. Business owners in the auto and agriculture industries say they have been hit hard by unexpected import and export prices, which has led them to sue the Trump administration for relief. Affordability remains a top concern for people across the country. Forty-five percent of respondents said they are most concerned about prices, while 18 percent are worried about housing costs, 15 percent are worried about tariffs, and 10 percent are worried about job security. Seventy percent of surveyed Americans say the cost of living in the area where they live is not very affordable or not affordable at all, per the poll. Marist said the response marks the highest proportion of Americans with this view since they first asked this question in 2011. Since July, the president’s approval rating on the economy has dropped three percent, according to poll results. Overall, Trump has a 38 percent approval rating while 54 percent disapprove of his return to office. The PBS News/NPR/Marist poll surveyed 1,440 adults from Dec. 8 to Dec. 11. The margin of error for results in plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.