President Donald Trump's Inflation Approval Plummets to Record Low in May 2026 Poll

The Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll fielded May 18-19 2026 shows President Donald Trump’s net approval on prices and inflation at –47, the lowest level recorded. Only 25 % approve, 72 % disapprove and 57 % disapprove strongly. A record 39 % name prices and inflation as the single most important problem. The survey of 1,520 U.S. adults has a ±2.7 % margin of error. The decline occurs as Americans confront higher food and gasoline costs amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

Newsweek

Overall job approval is 37 % approve and 60 % disapprove, a net of –23, unchanged from April. Issue-level nets place the president underwater on health care (–28) and jobs/economy (–25); foreign policy registers a net of –23 and elections –22, underscoring broad dissatisfaction. Border security is the only neutral issue (48 % approve, 48 % disapprove).

Newsweek

White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the president’s economic record, arguing that tax cuts, deregulation, and tariffs have made the economy resilient and that the agenda will continue to deliver benefits as Congress advances health-care and housing-affordability measures. Desai emphasized that the administration expects the economy to improve further in the second term.

Newsweek

Democrats lead Republicans on eight of twelve policy issues, including prices and jobs, and hold a 51 % to 43 % advantage on the generic congressional ballot among registered voters. The poll’s analyst warned that a comparable approval level in May 2006 preceded a loss of 30 House seats, suggesting Republicans could face significant losses if the trend continues.

Poll: Trump’s approval rating hits another low on prices as Democrats hit +8 on generic ballot

Both reports agree on the –47 inflation rating but differ on sample size (1,529 vs 1,520) and on phrasing of the overall job net rating. The ±2.7 % margin of error allows the –23 net job rating to range from –20 to –26. The poll also omitted cross-tabulation by age, income, or region, limiting insight into demographic patterns.

Poll: Trump’s approval rating hits another low on prices as Democrats hit +8 on generic ballot

• “Americans can rest assured that as this agenda continues taking effect, and as Congress passes more of the president’s health care and housing affordability agenda, the best is yet to come in the second Trump term,” — Kush Desai, White House spokesman

Newsweek

• “If our May numbers are anywhere close to where things stand in the fall, Republicans should be preparing for significant losses, up and down the ballot.” — G. Elliott Morris, poll analyst

Poll: Trump’s approval rating hits another low on prices as Democrats hit +8 on generic ballot