ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

New CNN poll hints at a disconnect between Trump’s priorities and what Americans want

Over half of the American population polled does not believe that Trump is prioritizing the right issues.
PUBLISHED JAN 17, 2026
US President Donald Trump. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Photo by Chip Somodevilla)
US President Donald Trump. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Photo by Chip Somodevilla)

The Midterm elections are scheduled for November this year, and for the Republican Party to do well, Donald Trump’s image plays a crucial role. Unfortunately, a recent poll suggests that a large majority of Americans believe that he is not doing a good enough job, or even focusing on the issues that matter to them. The economy has become a major talking point ahead of the elections, and the President’s report card so far does not fare well.

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool)
U.S. President Donald Trump. (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool)

The poll was conducted by CNN, and it showed that 58% of Americans believed that Trump’s second year had been a failure so far. The President may tout that he is doing a lot for the economy to get better, but Americans simply do not believe him. The affordability crisis is seemingly a major concern, and the President has called it a hoax cooked up by the Democrats multiple times so far.

Obviously, that hasn't left a pleasant aftertaste in the mouths of those who are struggling to afford basic necessities. Americans’ outlook on the economy has been negative since Joe Biden’s last term, but the pessimism about the future has worsened under Trump. The poll claims that four out of 10 Americans do not believe that things are going to get better a year from now. This was at 56% when he took the oath for the second time.

(Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Chip Somodevilla)
US President Donald Trump. (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Chip Somodevilla)

Only 32% of those who participated in the survey believe that Trump’s policies have made the economy better, with 55% beleiving that they’ve had the opposite effect. A rather damning statistic is that 64% of Americans simply do not believe that the President has done enough to address rising prices across all sectors. Even 42% of Republicans and Republican-ish people believe that he should be doing more to bring down prices.

Just 36% of those polled believe that Trump has his priorities right, down from 45% since the beginning of his second term. The President might have campaigned for those struggling with high costs, but right now, only one-third of the people polled believe that he cares about their issues, down from 40% last March and the worst rating of his political career.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during his civil fraud trial at New York Supreme Court on January 11, 2024 in New York City. Trump won't make his own closing arguments after his lawyers objected to Judge Arthur Engoron insistence that Trump stay within the bounds of
U.S. President Donald Trump (Image credit: Getty Images|Photo by Jefferson Siegel-Pool)

What’s more, a large percentage of people believe that the President puts himself before the country. Only 37% believe that Trump puts his country first, and only 40% believe that he’s in touch with the everyday problems of Americans.

“Even if he is doing some good in areas, he comes across as very self-seeking and (shows a) lack of caring about the common good of our citizens,” one of the people who took part in the poll said. Of course, President Trump has his own views about the authenticity of this poll since he has labelled CNN as a source of 'fake news' multiple times in public.

More on Market Realist

Supreme Court holds off ruling on Trump's tariffs till Tuesday - key details revealed

Trump’s bold 401(k) idea could change how Americans buy their first home

Trump may now target another nation after Venezuela that produces three times more oil

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Had she taken their advice, she'd be leaving the stage $15000 richer
1 hour ago
Multiple services have opened up in the country that charge people for interviews with companies.
1 hour ago
The President spoke about how GDP grew under his watch and called out Democrats over affordability.
3 hours ago
There are now eight municipalities and 21 states that implement this tax.
4 hours ago
The duo has been buying tickets together for a long time and had promised to split a big prize.
4 hours ago
Trump allegedly made dozens of false economic claims about falling prices and inflation
4 hours ago
The President argued that the cuts were aimed that getting the people out that were not necessary.
4 hours ago
Rising college costs and growing student debt are reshaping higher education.
7 hours ago
Scott Bessent said the Dow at 50,000 signals strong growth and gains for Main Street ahead
7 hours ago
Peter Schiff warned Trump’s new tariffs will raise prices and worsen the U.S. affordability crisis.
9 hours ago
For people with allergies, exposure to some of the allergic ingredients can trigger a wide range of reactions.
2 days ago
Numbers gathered by economists show that Trump's claims in his WSJ piece are misinformed at best.
2 days ago
While the ownership rate rebounded after years of decline, millennials still feel cost is a hurdle.
3 days ago
TrumpRx costs may be as much as 80% less than normal listings, though actual savings may differ.
3 days ago
The Amazon boss laid off a third of The Washington Post employees, including reporters on duty.
3 days ago
Members are now required to scan their membership cards simply to get inside a Costco store.
3 days ago
Natalie's younger daughter Bailey couldn't hold back her tears after her mother won a grand total of $63,990.
3 days ago
It seemed at one point that the contestant might have missed her chance to win big.
4 days ago
The FDA recently slapped a Class-II warning label on the product, which was sold by the thousands.
4 days ago
The city's law dictates that all businesses using such surveillance tech must make it public.
4 days ago