A new Fox News national poll paints a troubling picture for the White House, with a growing number of voters saying the economy is in bad shape and that President Donald Trump’s policies are doing more harm than good.
The survey, conducted Nov. 14–17, found that 76% view the national economy as either “only fair” or “poor.”
That’s up from 67% in July and worse than the 70% recorded at the end of former President Biden’s term.
Economic dissatisfaction now stretches across party lines, with voters widely reporting increased costs in groceries, utilities, healthcare, and housing.
Costs Keep Rising Across the Board
According to the poll, 85% of voters said grocery prices rose in 2025, including 60% who said they went up “a lot.”
78% percent said their utility costs increased, followed by 67% for healthcare and 66% for housing. These inflation concerns were shared across Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
Despite Trump’s repeated claims that he can bring prices down, voters are skeptical.
Approval of his handling of the economy has dropped to 38%, his lowest yet. In fact, 58% of voters now disapprove of Trump overall, and just 41% approve of the job he’s doing as president.
Even among Republicans, approval slipped from 92% in March to 86% in the new survey.
Personal Finances Still Strained
For many voters, their own finances aren’t in great shape either.
60% rated their personal finances as “fair” or “poor,” and among those making under $50,000 a year, nearly 80% described their finances negatively.
Things are also especially bleak among voters without college degrees, young voters, Black and Hispanic voters, and independents.
When asked who is more responsible for the current state of the economy, 62% pointed to Trump, compared to 32% who blamed Biden.
Notably, even 42% of Republicans say Trump holds more responsibility, along with a majority of independents.
Just like under Biden, voters say the economic policies under Trump have been more harmful than helpful.
In 2024, a Fox News poll showed voters believed Biden’s policies hurt their families by a 30-point margin. In this latest poll, Trump sees a similar result, with voters saying his economic policies have hurt them by a 31-point margin.
“The situation isn’t complicated,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the poll with Democrat Chris Anderson.
“People are struggling to afford necessities and blaming those in charge.”
Shutdown Fallout Hurts Both Parties
Beyond the economy, the survey found widespread disapproval of how the recent government shutdown was handled.
Around 62% disapproved of Trump’s role in the shutdown, along with 63% disapproval for congressional Republicans and 64% for congressional Democrats.
Favorability ratings for both parties dropped to 39%, with the poll recording a record-low 22% favorable rating for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Leaders Viewed as Out of Touch
Voters continue to feel neglected by political leaders.
Roughly six in 10 believe Trump, congressional Democrats, and congressional Republicans “don’t care about people like them.”
When asked which party has better plans on major issues, voters said Republicans are stronger on border security, immigration, and crime.
Democrats were preferred on healthcare, wages, affordability and climate change. The two parties were tied on job creation.
Trump scored his highest approval on border security (53%), while his lowest marks came on healthcare (34%) and tariffs (35%).
Concerns About Balance of Power
Concern about constitutional checks and balances is also growing.
About two-thirds of voters said Congress and the Supreme Court are failing to perform their roles and are instead handing too much power to the presidency, power that, in voters’ eyes, Trump is actively using in ways they increasingly disapprove of.
Meanwhile, 47% say the courts are blocking Trump from carrying out his agenda, a sign that trust in the judicial branch is also eroding.
While the White House maintains that recovery is underway, the poll results suggest that many Americans aren’t feeling it.
The economy remains the top concern heading into 2026, and while both parties are being blamed, much of the voter frustration is now centered squarely on Trump’s leadership.
IMAGE CREDIT: ”Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.