Trump’s economic approval rating falls to 34% in CNBC survey
CNBC’s October poll found 65% disapproval of Trump’s economic handling, while voters favored Democratic control of Congress.
By Priya Nair · Economy Reporter
· 3 min read
President Donald Trump’s economic approval rating stood at 34% in CNBC’s latest All-America Economic Survey, while 65% of respondents disapproved. For investors watching how household views of prices and the economy may shape the political backdrop, the Trump economic approval rating result is a measure of public sentiment, not a forecast of the Nov. 3 midterm election.
CNBC said the October reading produced a net economic approval rating of minus 31 points, calculated by subtracting the 65% disapproval figure from the 34% approval figure. The network described that as Trump’s lowest net economic rating across its polling of both of his terms.
The poll also found more negative views of the economy than in CNBC’s July survey. Economic approval fell from 38% in July to 34% in October, while disapproval rose from 60% to 65%. That moved the net rating from minus 22 points to minus 31 points, a nine-point decline over three months.
What did CNBC’s poll find about Trump’s economic approval?
According to CNBC, the 65% economic-disapproval result is the highest it has recorded for any president in its survey series going back to Barack Obama. CNBC said it was one point above former President Joe Biden’s worst reading in the series. Those comparisons describe CNBC’s own polling history, rather than a measure across all public polls.
Trump’s overall job approval was different from the economic measure and did not change from July, CNBC reported. Forty percent approved of his performance as president and 59% disapproved, the same figures CNBC reported in its prior survey.
Broader economic sentiment was also downbeat in the poll. Eighty percent of respondents rated the economy as fair or poor, CNBC reported, the highest share since December 2023. Sixty-three percent said they were pessimistic about the current economy and its outlook. That included 35% of Republicans, up six percentage points from July.
What does the poll say about the midterms?
CNBC found that 52% of registered voters preferred Democratic control of Congress, compared with 45% who preferred Republican control. In July, the corresponding split was 49% to 45%, so the Democratic edge widened from four points to seven points in this survey.
The survey also measured interest in the election rather than turnout. CNBC reported that 72% of Democrats were highly interested in the midterms, compared with 62% of Republicans. A poll can show views at the time respondents were surveyed, but it cannot determine how people will vote or who will win.
Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies conducted the nationwide survey of 1,000 registered voters from Oct. 14 through Oct. 18. CNBC reported a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, meaning its estimates carry sampling uncertainty.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
