New Poll Reveals Challenges for Democrats and Trump Amid Mixed Public Sentiment

New Poll Shows That Democrats and Trump Will Have Problems Because People Aren’t Sure How They Feel

A new national study shows that people are still very divided on important political and economic issues, which is bad news for both the Democratic Party and former President Donald Trump. Trump’s economic policies are still being criticized, and Democrats’ approval ratings are also going down. This means that both parties are unsure as they get ready for the next election cycle.

A poll with 1,000 people from across the country taken between the end of July and the beginning of August shows that Trump’s general approval ratings for the economy are very low. He was trusted by 45% of respondents to manage the economy, while 53% did not. This demonstrates that Trump’s economic rating has dipped below his general job approval rating of 46% approval to 51% hate. This contrasts with his first term, when his approval ratings were typically lower than his economic ratings.

53% of people who voted for Trump agree with his approach to border security, making it one of the few areas where he still has support. But support is below 50% for a number of other important problems, such as tariffs (45%), inflation and the rising cost of living (37%), and actions taken to enforce immigration laws, like deportations, which get 49% support.

The poll shows that people from different political groups are very divided on Trump’s plans on deportation. A huge 98% of staunch followers, called “MAGA Republicans,” agree with these policies. On the other hand, 97% of liberal Democrats strongly disagree with them. With 61% in favor and 35% against, non-MAGA Republicans paint a more divided picture, showing that the party base is still split.

The fact that this fight for Trump doesn’t always mean that the Democratic Party has an easy win is interesting. With a net negative rating of 32%, the poll shows that the Democrats have the lowest approval scores since polls began in 1996. This includes 54% of independents and 25% of Democrats who don’t agree with the president. The net bad for the Republican Party, on the other hand, is only 9%.

Even with these problems, the poll shows that people want the Democrats to run Congress a little more, now 49% to 44%. Democrats may be optimistic for legislative battles as this is the party’s largest lead since 2021.

Political scientists say democratic discontent is a major signal. Democratic voters may turn out less in the 2026 midterms if they feel their party has strayed too far from its values. These changes within the party could be just as important as competition from outside the party.

The study shows that people’s opinions about the economy and stock market have slightly improved. Still, there are worries because about 60% of those who answered think that prices are going up faster than their incomes, which shows that American families are still having a hard time with money.

Recent polls illustrate Americans’ complex political opinions. There is no clear winner, but both main parties must navigate public opinion, economic reality, and party divides.