A recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters rate Trump’s handling of economic issues as good or excellent – down one point from December – while 46% still give him a poor rating on the issue.
The survey results show the cost of gas and groceries continue to top the list of economic worries as voters remain negative about President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy.
When thinking about the economy, 48% say that lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect that must be improved. Nineteen percent (19%) rate more jobs as most important, while 15% say cutting government spending is most important. Other economic goals – a higher stock market (6%), lower home prices (5%), and higher corporate profits (5%) – are in the single digits in terms of importance to voters. These findings have not changed significantly since last October.
In an age of partisan division, there is an unusual consensus on the top economic concern. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Democrats, 43% of Republicans, and 51% of voters not affiliated with either major party say lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect of the economy that must be improved.
While Trump’s handling of the economy is rated good or excellent by 71% of Republicans, only 22% of Democrats and 31% of unaffiliated voters agree with that assessment. Seventy-two percent (72%) of Democrats give Trump a poor rating on the issue, as do 15% of Republicans and 50% of unaffiliated voters.
More men (45%) than women voters (38%) give Trump a good or excellent rating for his handling of the economy. Significantly more women voters (53%) than men (41%) believe lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect of the economy that must be improved.
Voters under 40 are less likely to say Trump has done a good or excellent job of handling the economy. A majority of those 50 and older consider lower grocery and energy prices the top economic priority.
Trump is rated good or excellent on the economy by 41% of whites and Hispanics, 30% of black voters, and 44% of other minorities. Forty-eight percent (48%) of whites, 53% of black voters, 34% of Hispanics and 43% of other minorities give Trump a poor rating on the issue.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of self-identified liberal voters rate Trump as doing a poor job of handling the economy, while 68% of conservatives give Trump a good or excellent rating on the issue. Among moderate voters, 28% give Trump a good or excellent rating for his handling of the economy and 59% give him a poor rating.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters in the highest bracket – earning more than $200,000 a year – are most likely to rate Trump as doing a poor job of handling the economy. Those earning between $30,000 and $50,000 are more likely to say creating more jobs is the most important aspect that must be improved.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 77% rate him as doing a good or excellent job of handling the economy, while he gets a poor rating on the issue from 85% of Kamala Harris voters.
The survey of 1,092 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-18, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
The survey results show the cost of gas and groceries continue to top the list of economic worries as voters remain negative about President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy.
When thinking about the economy, 48% say that lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect that must be improved. Nineteen percent (19%) rate more jobs as most important, while 15% say cutting government spending is most important. Other economic goals – a higher stock market (6%), lower home prices (5%), and higher corporate profits (5%) – are in the single digits in terms of importance to voters. These findings have not changed significantly since last October.
In an age of partisan division, there is an unusual consensus on the top economic concern. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Democrats, 43% of Republicans, and 51% of voters not affiliated with either major party say lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect of the economy that must be improved.
While Trump’s handling of the economy is rated good or excellent by 71% of Republicans, only 22% of Democrats and 31% of unaffiliated voters agree with that assessment. Seventy-two percent (72%) of Democrats give Trump a poor rating on the issue, as do 15% of Republicans and 50% of unaffiliated voters.
More men (45%) than women voters (38%) give Trump a good or excellent rating for his handling of the economy. Significantly more women voters (53%) than men (41%) believe lower grocery and energy prices are the most important aspect of the economy that must be improved.
Voters under 40 are less likely to say Trump has done a good or excellent job of handling the economy. A majority of those 50 and older consider lower grocery and energy prices the top economic priority.
Trump is rated good or excellent on the economy by 41% of whites and Hispanics, 30% of black voters, and 44% of other minorities. Forty-eight percent (48%) of whites, 53% of black voters, 34% of Hispanics and 43% of other minorities give Trump a poor rating on the issue.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of self-identified liberal voters rate Trump as doing a poor job of handling the economy, while 68% of conservatives give Trump a good or excellent rating on the issue. Among moderate voters, 28% give Trump a good or excellent rating for his handling of the economy and 59% give him a poor rating.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters in the highest bracket – earning more than $200,000 a year – are most likely to rate Trump as doing a poor job of handling the economy. Those earning between $30,000 and $50,000 are more likely to say creating more jobs is the most important aspect that must be improved.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 77% rate him as doing a good or excellent job of handling the economy, while he gets a poor rating on the issue from 85% of Kamala Harris voters.
The survey of 1,092 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-18, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
