Trump Approval Falls to 39% as Cost-of-Living Pressure Gives Democrats a Midterm Opening

A new Fox News poll finds widespread frustration over gasoline, groceries and inflation, while Democrats hold a seven-point advantage over Republicans in the battle for control of the House.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2026 — President Donald Trump’s job approval stands at 39% as widespread frustration over everyday expenses creates significant political headwinds for Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The latest Fox News national survey found 61% of registered voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 39% approve, continuing a difficult stretch for the president.

Trump’s approval has not exceeded 39% since April, when Fox measured him at 42%, and his current number has remained stubbornly weak as economic pessimism persists.

The poll was conducted September 11–14 among 1,211 registered voters, using live telephone interviews and online responses, with an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus three points.

Economic pressure dominates the findings. Roughly three-quarters of voters continue to describe economic conditions negatively, while substantially more Americans say they are financially falling behind than getting ahead.

Gasoline has become a particularly visible source of frustration. Sixty-one percent now describe gas prices as a major problem, compared with 48% when Fox asked two years earlier.

Grocery prices remain an even broader concern, with 62% calling them a major problem despite that number declining slightly from the 66% recorded previously.

Housing costs are considered a major problem by 54%, while 52% say healthcare expenses create a major burden, illustrating how affordability concerns extend beyond food and fuel.

When voters were asked without being given a list to identify America’s most important issue, 34% volunteered the cost of living, easily making it the leading response.

Another 14% identified the economy and jobs, meaning nearly half of respondents spontaneously selected an economic or affordability issue before immigration, foreign policy or other concerns.

Those frustrations appear to be affecting perceptions of the administration. Sixty-three percent said Trump’s administration has made the economy worse, including approximately one-quarter of Republican voters.

Trump receives particularly poor marks on inflation. Only 24% approve of his handling of the issue, matching his previous low, while 74% disapprove.

Voters also increasingly reject Trump’s tariff strategy. Sixty-four percent believe tariffs hurt the American economy, up from 57%, while Republicans themselves remain divided over their effects.

The findings matter politically because voters currently give Democrats a substantial advantage when asked which party they trust more to handle inflation, reversing an advantage Republicans held four years earlier.

Yet Fox’s polling contains an important qualification: voters who trust Democrats on inflation are slightly more likely to cite dissatisfaction with Republican performance than confidence that Democratic policies will actually reduce prices.

That means the shift toward Democrats should not automatically be interpreted as broad enthusiasm for the party. Both major parties remain viewed negatively by more Americans than positively.

The Democratic Party receives a 44% favorable and 55% unfavorable rating, while Republicans stand at 41% favorable and 58% unfavorable in the same survey.

Even so, Democrats currently hold the advantage in the congressional contest. If the election were held now, 51% would support the Democratic House candidate and 44% the Republican candidate in their district.

That seven-point Democratic advantage is just outside the poll’s three-point sampling margin and continues a pattern in which Democrats have led the generic House ballot by five to seven points since January.

Independent voters are particularly important to that advantage. They currently favor Democratic House candidates 53% to 31%, while 14% remain undecided, according to Fox.

Democratic voters also report greater enthusiasm. Sixty-four percent say they are extremely interested in the midterms, compared with 53% of Republicans, an eleven-point engagement advantage.

Among voters who rate themselves completely certain to participate, Democrats lead the generic congressional ballot by an even wider 54% to 43% margin.