Is Donald Trump improving the lives of Americans?

Both sidesSays it is contestedSources conflict

The AP-NORC poll shows Americans blaming Trump for high costs and worse off, while White House releases claim falling inflation, lower drug prices and real wage gains.

I'll gather the latest data to assess whether Americans' lives are improving — checking economic indicators, polling, and policy impacts.

Whether Donald Trump's second term is improving lives depends on which metrics and whose perspective is emphasized. Polling and economic data show mixed results:

What polls show about public perception:

•A September 2026 AP-NORC poll found only 17% of U.S. adults approve of the president's handling of the cost of living and Just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.

•A majority, 65%, of U.S. adults now blame Trump's policies for persistently high costs more than factors outside of his control.

•About 6 in 10 said the country as a whole is "much" or "somewhat" worse off than when he began his second term, and about 7 in 10 said his handling of cost of living was "worse than expected".

•Other recent national polling averages in October 2026 placed overall approval around 34-37% with disapproval near 59-60%, down from 47% at inauguration in January 2025.

By comparison, Trump's economic approval dropped 14 percentage points from March 2025, and Republicans are now more likely to disapprove of his handling of cost of living than in April 2026.

What the White House and administration claim:

The administration argues it has made substantial progress reversing inflation inherited from the prior administration:

•In President Trump's second term, inflation has dropped to an average of just 2.7% — and Americans have even seen the first overall price decline since 2020.

•Gas prices have fallen to the lowest average price in 1,682 days with average prices below $3 per gallon in 36 states.

•Americans' real wages have grown by nearly 4% — or nearly $700 — after accounting for higher prices.

•The White House also cites the largest tax cuts, deregulation saving $180 billion, and 1.9 million more American-born workers employed.

On healthcare costs, the White House said new data confirms prescription drug prices just recorded their largest annual decline in more than 60 years, the steepest drop since 1963, with:
> President Trump is the first President to actually lower prescription drug prices — a direct result of his bold action

•Through Most Favored Nation pricing, 17 of the world's largest drugmakers — covering approximately 86% of the branded drug market — have agreed to bring U.S. prices in line with the lowest paid by comparable developed nations.

•Prescription drug prices are down 3.9% since President Trump took office and have fallen every month of 2026, and the TrumpRx platform has generated $700 million in savings.

On border security, about half of Americans approve of his performance, his strongest issue relative to others.

What independent economic analyses show:

•The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump added 2.9 percentage points to consumer goods inflation through February 2026, with about one-third of the increase coming from higher prices on goods made in the United States.

•Other analyses note GDP growth estimates for 2025-2026 of 2.2-3.8% and resilient consumer spending, but also note job creation slowed and manufacturing employment declined, with some models projecting tariffs would leave US real GDP 0.9 percent lower than otherwise by 2026.

•A comprehensive review one year into the second term described notable strengths including record stock market performance and projected GDP growth of 2.5-3% in 2026 while middle-class families face higher costs from tariffs and uneven tax relief.

In short, the administration points to lower inflation averages, lower gas and prescription drug prices, and wage gains as evidence lives are improving, while a majority of voters in recent polls report continued concern about affording groceries and gas and blame current policies for high prices.

Citations (3)

1ap.orgNews and mediaquality 0.69
Most Americans blame Trump for high prices as his economic approval hits new low, AP-NORC poll shows
Backs: “Whether Donald Trump's second term is improving lives depends on which metrics and whose perspective is emphasized. Polling and economic data show mixed results: What polls show about public perception: A September 2026 AP-NORC poll found only 17% of U.S. adults approve of the president's handling of the cost of…”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: September 2026 AP-NORC poll: only 17% approve of his cost-of-living handling, 26% approve on economy, and 65% blame his policies for high costs.
2whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Progress on Lowering Costs — With Much More Relief on the Way
Backs: “What the White House and administration claim: The administration argues it has made substantial progress reversing inflation inherited from the prior administration: In President Trump's second term, inflation has dropped to an average of just 2.7% — and Americans have even seen the first overall price decline since…”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: The administration says it reversed inflation, with inflation averaging 2.7%, lower gas prices, and real wage growth of nearly 4%.
3whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Largest Prescription Drug Price Drop in Over 60 Years
Backs: “The White House also cites the largest tax cuts, deregulation saving $180 billion, and 1.9 million more American-born workers employed. On healthcare costs, the White House said new data confirms prescription drug prices just recorded their largest annual decline in more than 60 years, the steepest drop since 1963,…”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: White House says prescription drug prices had their largest annual decline in over 60 years, via Most Favored Nation pricing and TrumpRx.