Tariffs Are Dragging Down Trump’s Economic Approval Rating

President Trump’s approval rating on the economy is slipping, and the reason is not hard to find. According to a new AP-NORC poll, voters are souring on tariffs. That dissatisfaction is bleeding directly into broader views of Trump’s economic performance.

The poll, reported by the Associated Press, shows Trump facing weaker approval on economic stewardship even as inflation concerns ease and job growth continues. The common thread behind the decline is trade policy. Voters increasingly view tariffs as a cost driver, not a growth strategy.

This matters because tariffs function as hidden taxes. They raise prices on everyday goods, squeeze household budgets, and disrupt supply chains. For working families, tariffs mean higher costs at the grocery store, higher prices for appliances, and fewer choices. Voters are noticing.

The poll also shows that Trump’s numbers on other issues like immigration and crime remain stronger than his economic approval. That gap reinforces the point. When voters think about the economy, tariffs loom large. Support drops where tariffs rise.

This is not new. Tariffs failed to shrink the trade deficit during Trump’s first term. They did not revive domestic manufacturing at scale. What they did do was force taxpayers to finance bailout payments to farmers harmed by retaliatory trade actions. That is not free-market policy.

Economic confidence depends on affordability. It depends on competition. It depends on growth driven by markets, not mandates. Tariffs undercut all three.

If Trump wants to rebuild confidence in the economy, the path is clear. Drop the tariffs. Stop taxing consumers through trade policy. Let markets work.

The AP poll is a warning sign. Voters are connecting the dots. Tariffs are dragging down Trump’s economic approval rating.