Poll: Most Americans have the summer blues about Trump and the economy

In this file photo, President Trump speaks about the economy at a rally Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Clive, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall/AP hide caption

As concern over gas prices remains high, President Trump's approval ratings continue falling to record lows, especially over his handling of the economy, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll .

Only a third of Americans say they approve of how Trump is handling the economy — three points lower than the worst marks given to former President Joe Biden during his term.

Just 36% say they approve of Trump's overall job performance, while 59% say they disapprove, which is the widest gap Trump has faced during either term in office.

In a midterm election year where Democrats show more enthusiasm to vote and see a path to regain control of both the House and Senate, notably 22% of Republicans say they disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy. The share of Republicans who say they strongly approve of Trump's job performance dropped to 53% in June from 61% in April.

Regina Kulenga, a 36-year-old Trump voter in Georgia, told NPR that she wasn't sure if she would vote in the midterm elections, and called Trump's actions since returning to office a "slap in the face."

"The economy is suffering a lot right now, and I just feel like a lot of the things that he did promise, you know, we're still waiting," she said. "Honestly, I was a big Trump supporter in the beginning… and I'm like, someone needs to do something about it because he's not doing anything right now for the economy but making things, I feel, in my opinion, a lot worse than what they were."

While Kulenga drives an electric car and does not have to worry about high gas prices, she said family members are struggling with rising costs for transportation and groceries.