Trump’s Approval Plummets Among Middle-Class Voters

White House Spins, But Numbers Tell a Grim Story for 45

President Donald Trump’s once-solid support among America’s middle class is unraveling—fast.

New data from the YouGov/Economist poll reveals that approval for Trump among Americans earning between $50,000 and $100,000 has plunged to -14 net points—his worst showing with this critical voting group in over a year. Just weeks ago, he was riding high with nearly even approval. Now, his numbers are in free fall.

The warning signs are impossible to ignore. Among middle-income earners:

• Only 42% approve of Trump’s job performance
• 56% disapprove
• And just 29% believe his economic policies will help their families

These figures come as frustration boils over around Trump’s latest legislative bombshell: the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping overhaul of spending and tax policy that Democrats have branded “a blueprint for economic cruelty.”

‘He’s Gutting the Safety Net’

“I voted for Trump in 2024 hoping he’d fight for us. Now he’s just cutting everything we rely on,” said Teresa Miles, a 42-year-old dental assistant in Pennsylvania. “My mom’s on Medicaid, my son gets SNAP. What happens to us now?”

Teresa isn’t alone. According to the poll:

• 84% of middle-income earners oppose Social Security cuts
• 80% want Medicare expanded or left alone
• 70% reject any Medicaid cuts
• And 65% say food assistance like SNAP should be protected or increased

Yet Trump’s bill slashes $1.1 trillion in health care spending, threatens coverage for nearly 12 million Americans, and makes key pieces of the 2017 tax cuts permanent—policies economists warn could balloon the deficit while overwhelmingly benefitting the rich.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would add $3.4 trillion to the deficit over ten years. The White House, meanwhile, has insisted it’s “fiscally responsible.”

From Tariffs to Turmoil

The backlash began building in June, when Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs sent markets into a tailspin and left consumers staring down the barrel of rising prices.

“His trade war stunt hurt my small business overnight,” said Carlos Herrera, an independent retailer in Ohio. “Now I’m paying more for goods and my customers are buying less. This isn’t leadership—it’s chaos.”

That chaos is reflected in voter sentiment:

• 55% of middle-class Americans say Trump’s budget will hurt the average citizen
• 58% believe it will increase the national debt
• And only 32% think it will help everyday people

Even on the broader economy, Trump is floundering. While 43% approve of his handling of the economy, 52% do not. Only 34% believe the economy is growing. And more than 1 in 3 think the country is already in recession.

Cracks in the Coalition

This collapse in support could prove disastrous for Trump’s 2026 midterm hopes. In 2024, he flipped a major chunk of the middle-class vote, winning 52% of earners in the $50,000–$100,000 range after Democrats carried them by double digits in 2020.

But now, with confidence fading and wallets tightening, many are rethinking that choice.

“I believed he was a businessman who understood the economy,” said Alan Parker, a former Trump voter from Michigan. “But it turns out he’s just another politician—one with a golden toilet and no clue how the rest of us live.”

As America’s middle class grows more anxious about inflation, health care, and retirement, Trump’s political brand—built on tough talk and trickle-down promises—is showing serious signs of wear.

If the numbers continue to slide, Democrats may find a fresh opening in 2026—and beyond.