President Donald Trump’s administration is downplaying recent economic polling that shows his economic standing with the public slipping sharply. Despite dismal numbers, including a career-low 39% approval rating for his economic strategy and over seven in 10 Americans now rating the economy as “not so good” or “poor”, top Trump officials insist that tariffs and trade talks will ultimately benefit Americans.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNN’s “State of the Union” that President Trump is focused on realigning the American economy to put Americans first, regardless of different poll findings. White House officials argue that Trump’s use of tariffs, despite their impact on financial markets, will lead to a stronger economy and lower taxes.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent blamed media narratives for declaring economic doom too quickly. He expressed confidence in the administration’s tariff strategy, citing “strategic uncertainty” as a key factor. However, it was unclear how many trade deals Trump had negotiated with countries, with only 17 or 18 mentioned.
Despite these efforts to downplay concerns, polls show that Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the economy. The CNN and Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos polls found that more than seven in 10 Americans rate the economy as “not so good” or “poor”, while 53% say economic conditions have worsened since Trump returned to office in January.
Trump plans to celebrate his 100th day in office with a rally in Michigan, a key battleground state. The White House hopes this event will boost momentum for their economic policies ahead of the midterms.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/27/trump-polling-economic-concerns-00311974