Most Americans continue to view the U.S. economy negatively a year into President Donald Trump’s second term, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released this week.
Only 28% of U.S. adults rate economic conditions as excellent or good, while 72% describe them as fair or poor, the survey found. Those numbers are little changed since last fall and remain well below levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nationwide survey of 8,512 adults, conducted Jan. 20–26, found that concerns about everyday costs dominate Americans’ economic worries. About 71% said they are very concerned about the cost of health care, 66% cited the price of food and consumer goods, and 62% pointed to housing costs.
Views of the economy remain sharply divided by party. Nearly half of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 49%, now rate the economy positively — the highest level of Trump’s second term. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, just 10% say the economy is in excellent or good shape.
Americans are also split on where the economy is headed. About 38% expect conditions to be worse a year from now, while 31% think they will improve and 30% expect little change. Republicans are far more optimistic, with 57% expecting improvement, compared with just 8% of Democrats.
When asked about Trump’s economic policies, 52% of adults said they have made economic conditions worse. Another 28% said the policies have improved the economy, while 19% said they have had little effect. A majority of Republicans, 57%, said Trump’s policies have made conditions better, while 85% of Democrats said they have made them worse.
The survey also found broad opposition to the administration’s tariff increases. Six in ten Americans disapprove of substantially higher tariffs on imports, including nearly four in ten who strongly disapprove. Republicans largely support the tariffs, while Democrats overwhelmingly oppose them.
Pew researchers said the findings show that while Republican confidence has grown, overall economic sentiment remains negative, driven by persistent worries over prices and household costs.
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