Donald Trump promised Americans he would fix the economy on “Day One.”
Six months later, voters say things are getting worse, and a brutal new poll suggests Trump’s political problem is no longer just lingering inflation. It’s growing anger that he promised an economic turnaround and instead made life even more expensive.
A new survey conducted by Public First for Politico paints an ugly picture for the White House.
According to the poll, 53 percent of Americans now say the cost of living is the worst they can remember. That number has actually increased since November, despite months of Trump insisting the economy is booming under his leadership.
More alarming for the White House: a majority of Americans still blame Trump for the current state of the economy, and that number has barely budged.
Even Trump’s own base is divided. Just 43 percent of Trump voters believe he has adequately handled the economic impact of the war, while an identical 43 percent say he has not.
The findings landed the same day the government reported inflation hitting its highest level since Trump returned to office, while economic growth also came in weaker than expected.
The economic messaging coming out of Trumpworld is colliding headfirst with reality at the grocery store, the gas pump, and Americans’ bank accounts.
And now the Iran war is making things even worse.
More than 60 percent of Americans say the conflict has directly increased costs in their daily lives, according to the poll — including majorities of both Trump voters and Kamala Harris voters.
That’s a major warning sign for Republicans.
The White House has spent weeks trying to convince Americans that rising gas prices and higher costs are only temporary disruptions. But voters increasingly do not appear to be buying it.
A majority of respondents said Trump has not done enough to shield Americans from the economic fallout tied to the conflict.
Even Trump’s own base is divided. Just 43 percent of Trump voters believe he has adequately handled the economic impact of the war, while an identical 43 percent say he has not.
That kind of split inside a president’s own coalition is the sort of number that makes party strategists very nervous heading into midterms. And Republicans are nervous.
“Trump faces a similar predicament” to Joe Biden, longtime GOP strategist Kevin Madden admitted.
“As prices rise due to tariff and trade policies and global conflict, the response that it’s a hoax or not true is just a very discordant message given that so many voters are feeling a budget pinch right now,” Madden said.
The GOP’s favorite fallback strategy — blaming Biden for everything — also appears to be falling apart.
Only 28 percent of Americans now place most of the blame for the economy on Biden, while far more blame Trump directly.
One anonymous Republican strategist in Florida summed up the panic even more bluntly.
“The sooner the war winds down, the better for Trump when it comes to prospects in the midterms,” the strategist admitted, pointing directly to rising gas prices and affordability concerns.
That’s because Republicans increasingly understand the political danger here.
Voters can tolerate chaos when their bills are manageable. They tend to get much angrier when chaos starts emptying their wallets.
The White House, meanwhile, continues insisting better days are supposedly right around the corner.
Trump spokesman Kush Desai argued that the current pain is only temporary and claimed Americans will soon see lower gas prices, cooling inflation, and stronger wages once global shipping stabilizes.
But economic experts are already warning that elevated prices could stick around for months.
And for millions of Americans already struggling with rising costs for food, gas, medicine, and housing, patience is running thin. Very thin.
