Economic Deterioration Poll Results
A poll conducted by The Washington Post and Ipsos, released September 19 (conducted September 11-15, targeting 2,513 US adults), found that 53% of respondents said economic conditions have "worsened" since President Trump's inauguration in January (very bad 25%, bad 28%), significantly exceeding the 21% who said conditions have "improved" (very good 5%, good 16%). "No change" accounted for 25%.
Economic and Inflation Outlook
Regarding short-term prospects, 72% responded that Trump's economic policies would likely trigger a recession. Long-term, 42% said his economic policies would "weaken" America's economic foundation, exceeding the 31% who said "strengthen." Additionally, 62% responded that prices of desired or necessary goods would "rise" in the future.
Strong Opposition to Tariff Policies
Regarding tariffs Trump imposes on imports from various countries and regions, "disapproval" reached 64%, significantly exceeding "approval" (34%). Concerning tariffs' impact on domestic inflation, "negative impact" accounted for 71%, far exceeding "positive impact" (27%).
Growing Anxiety About National Direction
An AP-NORC poll conducted in September (September 11-15, targeting 1,183 US adults) found that 75% believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, a 13-point increase from 62% in June. By party affiliation, Republican supporters increased dramatically from 29% in June to 51%.
Trump Policies Viewed as "Excessive"
Over half view Trump's various policies as excessive. 60% considered "imposing tariffs on imports" excessive, 59% viewed "exercising presidential authority to achieve objectives" as excessive, and 56% considered "deploying National Guard to cities and federal law enforcement agencies" excessive.
Reality of Price Increases
The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.9% year-over-year in August (vs. 2.7% previous month), showing continued price increases, consistent with poll results.