Here are the facts.
A new Fox News poll is raising alarms in Washington, revealing that many Americans are still feeling economic pressure—even as President Trump pushes forward with policies aimed at restoring stability after years of inflation and reckless spending under Joe Biden.
The survey shows 46% of registered voters say they’ve felt personally hurt by today’s economic conditions, while 39% say they see no difference, and 15% report improvements.
These results mirror polling during the final year of Biden’s presidency, when voters said his tax hikes, inflation, and spending habits battered their wallets. But Democrats and the mainstream media are now aggressively trying to shift responsibility to Trump—even though he inherited a weakened, unstable economy.
Trump’s approval rating came in at 41%, with 58% disapproving. Analysts say some of the dissatisfaction comes from Americans still recovering from years of high prices, supply chain issues, and wage stagnation that began long before Trump returned to office.
Republicans in Congress are now working with the White House to address affordability concerns after Democrats scored unexpected victories in off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed back on Democrat messaging during Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, saying Biden’s team tried to gaslight Americans about their financial struggles.
“We will never tell Americans they’re imagining their hardship,” Bessent said. “That’s exactly what the Biden White House did. We are focused every single day on lowering prices.”
For most of the 2024 election cycle, the economy was Trump’s strongest issue, especially among older voters, working families, and small business owners who saw the damage from the Biden era firsthand.
But Democrats are now running a coordinated messaging campaign attacking Trump for inflation—even though they backed policies like massive federal spending and sweeping tariffs during Biden’s time in office.
The new poll also shows 62% of voters believe Trump is more responsible for current economic conditions than Biden, including 42% of Republicans. Experts say this reflects lingering frustration from inflation that built up over several years—not from Trump’s recent decisions.
A large 76% of voters rate the economy as “fair” or “poor.” That number was 70% at the end of Biden’s term and 67% over the summer.
Despite voter frustration, key economic signs are improving. GDP grew 3.8% in the second quarter, and 119,000 new jobs were added in September—both positive indicators for long-term growth.
Still, Democrats are trying to claim the upper hand, with poll respondents saying they trust Democrats slightly more on issues like wage increases, healthcare costs, and affordability. Republicans remain competitive across all categories.
Bessent, however, remains confident Trump’s agenda will turn the tide.
“We’re going to see a major economic acceleration as we move into next year,” he predicted. “2026 will be a strong year for working Americans because of President Trump’s signature plans.”
The Fox News poll surveyed 1,005 registered voters between Nov. 14–17 with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. It was conducted by Democrat-leaning Beacon Research and Republican-leaning Shaw & Company Research.