Is Donald Trump improving the lives of Americans?
This is a question about political and economic outcomes that reasonable people evaluate very differently depending on their values, priorities, and which metrics they weigh most heavily. I don't think I can give you a fair "yes" or "no" answer, since it depends heavily on perspective, but I can share what the current data shows on some key measures, and you can weigh it yourself.Whether Trump is "improving the lives of Americans" is a values-laden question that different people answer differently — it depends on which issues you prioritize (economy, immigration, healthcare, foreign policy, etc.) and how you weigh trade-offs. I can't give you a definitive yes/no, but here's what current data shows:
Public approval overall
As of September 2026, most major polling averages put Trump's job approval in the mid-30s to high-30s, with disapproval well above approval. A weighted polling average shows 38.0% approve versus 59.3% disapprove, a net approval of -21.3, based on 725 polls. Nate Silver's aggregate similarly shows Trump's net approval rating around -19.5, up slightly from an all-time low of -20.6.
Economy specifically
This has been a particular weak point. A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll found a third of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, his lowest-ever approval rating on that issue, with 60% disapproving — the lowest since Marist began asking the question in 2019. A Fortune/AP-NORC poll found similarly low numbers: about 32% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy, down from 40% at the start of his second term. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults describe the nation's economy as "very" or "somewhat" poor.
Much of this decline has been tied to gas and grocery prices. Americans' views on Trump have soured significantly regarding his stewardship over the economy and cost of living, as gasoline prices surged following coordinated U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.
Partisan divide
Views split sharply by party. 77% of people who voted for Trump in 2024 approve of how he's handling the economy, but some voting groups he won aren't happy — including 54% of white voters without a college degree. Similarly, he's seen a rebound among his own supporters recently, with roughly 71% of Republicans approving, compared with 59% in December.
Erosion among former supporters
Some Trump 2024 voters report disappointment. One voter called Trump's actions since returning to office a "slap in the face," saying "The economy is suffering a lot right now". Polling backs this up: in February 2025, Trump had a net positive approval rating of 22 points among rural Americans, but he is now 10 points underwater.
Bottom line: By the measure of public opinion polling, a majority of Americans currently say they disapprove of Trump's overall performance and especially his handling of the economy — driven largely by concerns about prices/cost of living. However, strong majorities of Republicans and Trump's base still approve. Whether this constitutes "improving lives" ultimately depends on which specific policies, outcomes, and communities you're evaluating — economic data, immigration enforcement, healthcare, foreign policy, etc. each tell different stories, and I'd encourage looking at multiple sources across the political spectrum for a fuller picture.
Citations (11)
- Trump Approval Rating | Latest Polls & Polling Average
Source excerpt: “Approve · 38.0% Weighted polling average · Disapprove · 59.3% Weighted polling average · Net approval · −21.3 · Polling average difference · Polls Inc...”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Weighted polling average shows 38.0% approve versus 59.3% disapprove, net approval of -21.3.
- Trump Approval Rating: Latest Polls | Silver Bulletin
Source excerpt: “Donald Trump’s net approval rating is up slightly from its all time low of -20.6. Still, a net approval of -19.5 is far from popular. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Nate Silver's aggregate puts Trump's net approval around -19.5, up slightly from an all-time low of -20.6.
- Trump's economic approval rating hits new low, poll finds | PBS News
Source excerpt: “A third of Americans approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll finds, amounting to his lowest-ever ...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: A third of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, his lowest-ever rating on that issue.
- Trump's economic approval rating hits new low, poll finds | PBS News
Source excerpt: “Sixty percent of Americans overall disapprove of Trump's economic approach. The 33% who approve mark the lowest since Marist began asking the question...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: 60% disapprove of Trump's economic handling, the lowest approval since Marist began asking in 2019.
- Trump's approval rating on the economy sinks to just 32%, and even Republicans feel like they need 'to get a loan before I go grocery shopping' | Fortune
Source excerpt: “About 3 in 10 U.S. adults, 32%, approve of how Trump is handling the economy. That’s down from 40% at the start of his second term, and marks a shift ...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: About 32% approve of Trump's economic handling, down from 40% at the start of his second term.
- Trump's approval rating on the economy sinks to just 32%, and even Republicans feel like they need 'to get a loan before I go grocery shopping' | Fortune
Source excerpt: “About 7 in 10 U.S. adults describe the nation’s economy as “very” or “somewhat” poor, in line with April. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: About 7 in 10 adults describe the nation's economy as very or somewhat poor.
- trumps approval trend slides following the us iran war
Source excerpt: “According to the authors, Americans' views on Trump have soured significantly with regard to his stewardship over the economy and the cost of living, ...”
evidence, data page, points to no. Claim: Views on Trump have soured regarding the economy and cost of living, with gas prices surging after strikes on Iran.
- Trump's economic approval rating hits new low, poll finds | PBS News
Source excerpt: “Seventy-seven percent of people who voted for Trump in 2024 approve of how he's handling that issue now. But some voting groups that Trump handily won...”
statistic, article, neutral. Claim: 77% of Trump 2024 voters approve of his economic handling, but some groups he won, like non-college white voters, are unhappy.
- Trump's approval rating on the economy sinks to just 32%, and even Republicans feel like they need 'to get a loan before I go grocery shopping' | Fortune
Source excerpt: “He’s seen a rebound on the issue among his own supporters since late last year, though. Roughly 71% of Republicans now approve, compared with 59% in t...”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: Roughly 71% of Republicans approve of Trump on the economy, up from 59% in December.
- Trump sees record low approval on the economy in new NPR poll : NPR
Source excerpt: “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 acti...”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: A Trump voter called his actions since returning to office a slap in the face, saying the economy is suffering.
- Trump sees record low approval on the economy in new NPR poll : NPR
Source excerpt: “"Honestly, I was a big Trump supporter in the beginning … In February 2025, Trump had a net positive approval rating of 22 points among rural America...”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Trump's net approval among rural Americans fell from +22 in February 2025 to 10 points underwater.