53% of US voters say finances worsened under Trump, poll finds

A Financial Times poll by Focaldata shows 53.3% of registered US voters say their personal finances have worsened since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. Among independents, 57% reported being worse off, while 23% of Republicans said the same. Only 21% of voters said they were better off.

Voters now trust Democrats more than Republicans on inflation, jobs and the broader economy, areas where Republicans traditionally held an edge. The survey of 1,913 registered voters, conducted from August 7 to 10, 2026, also found that 64% of respondents believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction. Trump's overall disapproval rating stands at 55%, including 20% of Republicans. His net approval among Republicans dropped 8 percentage points from the previous month.

The midterm elections are less than three months away. The US-Iran war has pushed up fuel and borrowing costs, contributing to voter discontent. July inflation eased to 3.4%, still above the rate when President Joe Biden left office. Separate data showed consumer sentiment near record lows and real wages fell last month.