Trump faces cost-of-living criticism in new poll as Democrats' 2026 stock rises

The Trump administration faced mounting criticism on the economy and cost of living in a new poll, and most respondents said they want Democrats to take control Congress after the midterm elections next year.

In a survey from NBC News released Nov. 9, two-thirds of registered voters said the Trump administration has not lived up to their expectations on addressing inflation and the cost of living. Many Americans are also unhappy with the way the administration has affected the middle class, with 65% saying President Donald Trump has not lived up to their hopes.

Trump's approval rating in the poll was 43%, a 4-point decrease since the outlet's March survey, while 55% said they disapprove of his job performance.

The numbers align with several recent surveys: The president's average rating is 42% approval and 55% disapproval, according to a New York Times calculation. RealClearPolitics' Nov. 9 average is similar, 43% approval and 54% disapproval.

The survey is the latest to show voters souring on the administration's handling of the economy. Democrats seized on that frustration in last week's Nov. 4 election, when the party won key races across the country.

Respondents in the NBC News survey said they preferred Democrats over Republicans to lead the new Congress in 2027 by 8 points, with 50% saying they prefer Democratic control over 42% wanting a GOP-led legislature. It's the largest lead for either party on the congressional ballot in the NBC poll since the 2018 midterms – and a 7-point jump in Democrats' lead since March.

When it comes to the ongoing shutdown, 49% said either Republicans in Congress or Trump are at fault, and 42% said Democrats in Congress are to blame.

However, the survey found it's not an entirely rosy picture for the Democrats. Just 28% of respondents viewed the party positively, compared to Republicans' 37%. On the issues of crime and immigration, Republicans were seen as more capable, while Democrats outranked them on health care and democracy.

And though a majority of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with Republicans over the economy, they still held a one-point advantage over Democrats in the poll.

More broadly, 61% of survey respondents said the country was moving in the wrong direction, marking a 7-point increase since the pollsters last asked the question in March.

The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters Oct. 24-28. The margin of error is ± 3.1 percentage points.

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at[email protected] and on X @KathrynPlmr.