Majority see US ‘off track,’ give Trump poor marks on economy, immigration: Poll

A new poll shows deep dissatisfaction among Americans about the country’s direction and President Donald Trump’s handling of key issues — from the economy to immigration — one year ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Majority say US ‘on the wrong track’

About 67% of Americans believe the country is “pretty seriously off on the wrong track,” while just under a third say it is moving in the right direction, according to ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll.

That figure, though grim, marks a slight improvement from November 2024, when 75% said the same before the presidential election.

Democrats (95%) and independents (77%) are far more likely than Republicans (29%) to believe the US is headed in the wrong direction. Larger shares of Black (87%), Hispanic (71%), and Asian (71%) Americans also hold that view compared to white Americans (61%).

Economy and inflation dominate concerns

A slim 52% majority of Americans say the economy has worsened since Trump took office, while 27% say it has improved. Nearly 6 in 10 of those earning under $50,000 say their finances are worse off than before.

About 60% blame Trump for the current rate of inflation, including one-third who say he deserves a “great deal” of blame. Even among Republicans, 1 in 5 assign him some responsibility.

While 18% of Americans say they are “better off” financially under Trump, 37% say they are “worse off,” and 45% say their situation is about the same.

Approval ratings sink across major issues

Overall, 59% disapprove of Trump’s performance as president, compared to 41% who approve — putting him 18 points underwater. His strong disapproval (46%) is more than double his strong approval (20%).

Majorities disapprove of his handling of tariffs, the economy, and managing the federal government. Roughly 6 in 10 also disapprove of his approach to Russia-Ukraine relations, immigration, crime, and the Israel-Gaza situation.

Trump’s highest rating comes on Israel and Gaza — 46% approval — up from 39% in September, following a US-brokered ceasefire. But his lowest rating is on the economy, with just 37% approving, his weakest since taking office.

Expanding presidential power raises alarms

The poll finds 64% of Americans believe Trump is “going too far” in expanding the power of the presidency. Majorities also say he has gone too far by cutting the federal workforce (57%), sending the National Guard into US cities (55%), and intervening in universities (54%).

Around half believe Trump has overstepped in deporting undocumented immigrants (50%) and ending diversity and inclusion programs (51%).

Americans divided on global leadership

Nearly half (48%) of Americans say US leadership has weakened under Trump, while 33% believe it has strengthened. About 47% say he spends the right amount of time on global crises, but 46% think he is “too supportive of Russia.”

Just 39% say Trump deserves “a great deal” or “good amount” of credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, while 43% say he deserves little or none.

Parties seen as out of touch

A striking finding: 68% of Americans say the Democratic Party is out of touch with ordinary people — a higher share than for Trump (63%) or the Republican Party (61%).

Midterm warning signs

With the 2026 midterms approaching, voters are evenly split: 46% back the Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives, and 44% favor the Republican.

Pollsters note that negative ratings for an incumbent president often signal trouble for the ruling party in midterm elections.

Crime and immigration perceptions

About 6 in 10 Americans see crime as a serious issue in large US cities, though only 8% say it is “extremely serious” where they live.

Republicans are more likely (42%) to see urban crime as a major problem compared to Democrats (17%) and independents (27%).

Public opinion is divided on ICE deportations — with Republicans strongly supporting expanded operations and Democrats largely opposing them.

Politically motivated violence

By 34% to 28%, more Americans blame the Republican Party than Democrats for politically motivated violence, though 28% say both are equally at fault.

Little vote regret among 2024 voters

Despite widespread dissatisfaction, most Americans stand by their 2024 votes. 92% of Trump voters and 97% of Harris voters say they made the right choice.

Poll methodology

The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll was conducted October 24–28, 2025, via the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, among a random national sample of 2,725 US adults. The margin of error is ±1.9 percentage points.