Is Donald Trump improving the lives of Americans?

Both sidesSays it is contestedSources conflict

The AP-NORC poll and FactCheck.org data show rising prices and weak job growth, while the White House release claims historic results and improved conditions.

This is a contested question — I'll pull current data on how Americans' lives are faring to give you a balanced answer.

Whether Donald Trump is improving the lives of Americans is disputed and depends on which metrics and which voters you ask. Polling and economic data in 2025-2026 are mixed.

What polling shows

•Americans report growing frustration with costs. A September 2026 AP-NORC poll found only 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump'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 his control.

•Trump's current approval on the economy is a 14 percentage point drop from March 2025, just after he took office for the second time.

•About 6 in 10 say the country as a whole is "much" or "somewhat" worse off than when he began his second term.

•A Washington Post-ABC poll reported 48% of respondents said they were financially worse off since Trump took office in January 2025, the highest percentage reporting such circumstances for any president in the polling series dating back to 1986.

What economic data shows - Q3 2026 updates

FactCheck.org's quarterly update summarized Trump's second term through September 2026 as:

•Job growth became sluggish, with only 776,000 jobs created. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% , still historically low.

•Employment growth was sluggish, rising by 776,000 between January 2025 and September 2026, compared to 2,613,000 in the final 20 months of the prior administration.

•Private-sector jobs added were 1,006,000

•Inflation worsened. Consumer prices are up 5.4%. Gasoline is up 38%.

•In the 12 months before Trump took office, CPI rose 3.0%. In the most recent report, the 12-month increase was 3.7%.

•Over Trump's entire first 20 months, CPI went up 5.4%.

•The national average for regular gasoline was $4.28 the week ending Oct. 19, 38% higher than when he took office.

•Wages just barely rose faster than inflation, as measured since Trump was sworn in. But they've decreased this year.

•Average weekly earnings adjusted for inflation rose 0.94% during Trump's first 20 months, with all gains in 2025 and a 0.87% decline since.

•The economy grew 2.2% in the second quarter, continuing a steady rate of growth. Real GDP grew at an annualized rate of 2.2% in Q2 2026.

•Consumer sentiment remains low. After reaching a record low in May at 44.8, the Index was 46.3 in October, down from 71.7 in January 2025 when Trump took office.

•Other indicators: The number of apprehensions at the U.S. border with Mexico decreased about 91%, violent crime rates in 2025 continued to decline, and the S&P 500 went up 28.6%.

What supporters point to as improvements

The White House describes the period as a "historic comeback," saying Trump "sealed the border, drove violent crime to historic lows, unleashed American energy, cut taxes for working families".

Specific policies supporters cite:

•Border and safety: Administration says it recorded the most secure border and the U.S. murder rate fell to a historic low in 2025.

•Taxes: The One Big Beautiful Bill / Working Families Tax Cuts signed July 4, 2025, which made permanent 2017 tax cuts, doubled standard deduction, expanded Child Tax Credit, and added No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and relief on Social Security benefits. The White House says it delivered No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Social Security, and that the law is putting money back in pockets.

•Investment and deregulation: Claims of more than $11 trillion in new U.S. investment and manufacturing expanding for eight straight months.

Supporters in interviews point to a closed border, tax cuts and drop in crime as top reasons for sticking with Trump.

What critics point to

•That inflation, which Trump promised to lower on day one, instead rose from 3.0% to 3.7% year-over-year, and that real wages have fallen in 2026.

•That the trade deficit and manufacturing jobs did not improve as promised, with a net loss of 21,000 manufacturing jobs over the first 20 months despite a recent rebound.

•Polls showing most Americans, about 7 in 10, say Trump's handling of the cost of living has been "worse than expected", with concern about affording groceries and gas rising sharply.

Bottom line

Objective data shows steady GDP growth and low unemployment but also higher consumer prices, higher gasoline prices, sluggish job creation, and low consumer confidence compared to when Trump's second term began.

Whether that amounts to "improving lives" is viewed differently:

•Those who prioritize border security, crime reduction, tax relief, and deregulation tend to say lives have improved.

•Those who prioritize cost of living, real wage growth, and overall affordability tend to say they have not, which is reflected in majority disapproval in recent national polls.

Voters' personal experience with inflation, wages, housing costs (median home price up 6.2% since January 2025), and employment varies by region, industry and income level.

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: “Polling and economic data in 2025-2026 are mixed. What polling shows. Americans report growing frustration with costs. A September 2026 AP-NORC poll found only 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living and just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: September 2026 AP-NORC poll: only 17% approve of Trump on cost of living, 26% on economy, and 65% blame his policies for high costs.
2factcheck.orgNonprofits and think tanks
Trump's Numbers, October 2026 Update - FactCheck.org
Backs: “FactCheck.org's quarterly update summarized Trump's second term through September 2026 as: Job growth became sluggish, with only 776,000 jobs created.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: FactCheck.org summary of second-term data: sluggish job growth, higher inflation and gasoline prices, falling real wages in 2026, low consumer sentiment, steady GDP growth.
3whitehouse.govGovernment
President Trump Delivers Historic Results for the American People in Under Two Years
Backs: “border with Mexico decreased about 91%, violent crime rates in 2025 continued to decline, and the S&P 500 went up 28.6%. What supporters point to as improvements. The White House describes the period as a "historic comeback," saying Trump "sealed the border, drove violent crime to historic lows, unleashed American…”
attribution, official document, points to yes. Claim: The White House describes a 'historic comeback': sealed border, record-low crime, tax cuts for working families, energy and investment gains.