President Donald Trump’s approval has slipped as Americans face rising costs linked to tariffs and the Iran conflict, according to polling and economic analyses published in May 2026.
An AP-NORC poll found Trump’s overall approval at 37 percent, with about one-third of adults approving of his economic stewardship. Republican approval on the economy fell to about 63 percent, down from 79 percent in February before the Iran war began. A CBS News poll showed his standing underwater even among white voters without college degrees.
The Tax Foundation estimated Trump’s tariffs imposed roughly $1,000 in additional costs per U.S. household in 2025, with another $700 projected for 2026 from levies unaffected by a Supreme Court ruling. The Cato Institute found tariff costs passed through to consumer prices at rates as high as 96 percent.
University of Michigan consumer sentiment hit a record low of 44.8 in May, with 57 percent of respondents citing high prices as eroding personal finances. Analysts said tariff-driven inflation and Middle East oil disruptions were reinforcing voter dissatisfaction ahead of November midterm elections.
Reuters reported that sentiment among Republicans fell to the lowest level since November 2024 in the Michigan survey, mirroring declines in other independent polls. Nearly all Democrats and about seven in ten independents disapprove of Trump’s performance. Trump won re-election in 2024 after promising to reduce inflation, but Americans have since faced higher prices from sweeping tariffs and Middle East fuel disruptions.
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Sources:
https://dailycuratednews.substack.com/p/news-headlines-may-22-2026