Most Americans Blame Trump for High Prices as Midterms Approach, New AP-NORC Poll Finds

A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll published Thursday, October 1, 2026, found that only 17% of U.S. adults approve of President Donald Trump's handling of the cost of living and just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, a new low for his second term, according to reporting by The Independent. The survey, conducted weeks before the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, also found that 65% of Americans say Trump's policies, including his tariffs and the war with Iran, are primarily responsible for high prices rather than factors outside his control. The poll was conducted by AP writers Jill Colvin and Linley Sanders and first broke via the Durango Herald on Thursday.

What happened

The AP-NORC poll paints a picture of deep economic discontent heading into the 2026 midterms. Trump's economic approval has fallen 14 percentage points since March 2025, and about 7 in 10 Americans say his handling of living costs has been "worse than expected," including roughly half of Republicans. About 6 in 10 Republicans now disapprove of Trump's handling of living expenses, up from about half in April, though a majority of the president's party, 67%, still blames high costs primarily on factors outside his control.

Concern about everyday expenses has surged in recent months. About half of Americans now say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about affording gasoline, up from 39% in July, with a similar share highly concerned about food costs. On trade and foreign policy, 69% of respondents say the war with Iran has not been worth fighting, only 28% approve of Trump's handling of Iran, about 3 in 10 approve of his handling of trade, and 64% say he has gone too far with new tariffs.

The poll also measured Trump's overall standing: about 3 in 10 Americans approve of his performance as president, and roughly 6 in 10 say the country is worse off than when his second term began. Border security remains his strongest issue, with about half approving. The findings come as Trump and Vice President JD Vance hit the campaign trail Thursday for Republican candidates ahead of the November elections.

The poll included interviews with voters who described their economic strain. Bethany Lnenicka, a 41-year-old Iowa farmer, said, "Groceries are just like kind of out of control." Robert Gault, a 66-year-old retired factory worker and Republican from Bradford, Pennsylvania, said, "He said, 'Make America Great Again.' And I have not seen him do that." Pedro Sanchez, a 52-year-old California law enforcement worker who voted for Trump, said, "I used to have a lot more disposable income. I don't have that any more," adding, "I think he has a lot to do with it."

Why it matters

The poll lands at a politically sensitive moment, weeks before midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress. Economic approval at 26% places Trump in territory comparable to his predecessor at a low point: Joe Biden recorded 28% economic approval in June 2022, months before his party's poor midterm showing. The comparison carries a sharper edge this time, however, because blame attribution is higher now. In October 2022, 44% of Americans blamed Biden's policies for high prices, compared with the 65% who now blame Trump's policies, a gap that could matter for how the governing party's candidates defend the economic record on the campaign trail.

The internal Republican numbers may be the most consequential finding. With about 6 in 10 Republicans disapproving of Trump's handling of living expenses and roughly half of Republicans saying his cost-of-living performance has been worse than expected, the poll suggests the economic message is fraying even among the president's base, though the 67% of Republicans who blame outside factors indicate the party's voters have not fully shifted their attribution of blame. The findings on the Iran war, with 69% saying it has not been worth fighting, add a foreign policy dimension to an electorate already focused on prices.

How it is being covered

According to Ground News, the story is carried by 39 sources with a nearly even left and centre split at 44% each and 12% from right-leaning outlets. Factuality ratings are strong, with 29 of 34 rated outlets in the high or very high factuality bands. Ground News flags no blindspot on this story, meaning no single side of the coverage spectrum is ignoring it, though the thin 12% right-leaning share shows the story is being carried far less by outlets on the right.

What to watch

Watch whether Trump's campaign-trail appearances with Vance in the coming weeks lean into a cost-of-living message or pivot to border security, his strongest issue at roughly 50% approval. Watch for follow-up polling to see whether Republican disapproval of his cost-of-living handling, now at about 6 in 10, continues to climb from April's levels, and whether the 65% blame attribution holds or shifts as tariff and Iran war developments evolve. Watch also for how Republican midterm candidates distance themselves from, or align with, the president's economic record, and whether the White House contests the poll's framing of blame attribution, as it has previously disputed negative economic surveys.

By the numbers

Source snapshot