How does Trump's economic policy compare to past presidents? What a poll found

Brendan Rascius, The Charlotte Observer on Mar 13, 2025

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A plurality of Americans believe President Donald Trump’s agenda has hurt the U.S. economy, according to new polling. But the current level of dissatisfaction, while high, is not unprecedented in recent times.

In the latest CNN/SSRS poll, 51% of respondents said the president’s policies have worsened the country’s economic conditions. About half as many, 28%, said Trump’s policies have improved nationwide economic conditions, and 21% said his actions have had no effect either way.

The poll — conducted March 6-9 with 1,206 U.S. adults — comes after Trump levied sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, causing unease among businesses and consumers and triggering a sizable stock market sell-off.

Comparison to predecessors

Trump’s predecessor, former President Joe Biden, was met with a similar — and in some cases, higher — share of disapproval when it came to his handling of the economy.

In a January CNN/SSRS poll, 55% of respondents said Biden’s policies had worsened economic conditions, while 26% said they improved conditions. And, in an August 2023 poll, a record-high 58% said the president’s actions had weakened the economy, while 24% said they had strengthened it.

In polls conducted in May 2022 and December 2021, 55% and 45% of respondents, respectively, said Biden’s policies had worsened economic conditions. Meanwhile, 19% and 30% said the opposite.

By comparison, CNN/ORC polls taken during the beginning of former President Barack Obama’s first term found public opinion to be more evenly divided.

In a November 2009 poll, a plurality of respondents, 36%, said Obama’s policies had improved the economy, while 28%, said they had worsened it.

And in an August 2009 survey, 39% of respondents said his actions had bettered the economy. In contrast, 34% said they had weakened it.

Other findings

The latest poll — which has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points — also found the president is underwater when it comes to other aspects of the economy.

A majority of respondents, 57%, said they disapprove of the way Trump is handling the issue of helping the middle class. Forty-three percent said they approved.

Similarly, 56% of respondents said they disapprove of the way the president is handling inflation, while 44% said they approve.

Further, the vast majority, 72%, said economic conditions in the country today are somewhat or very poor. In contrast, just 28% said they are very or somewhat good. These figures are largely in line with those from recent years, indicating persistent economic concerns among Americans.

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