For the first time in years, the public trusts Republicans less on the economy than Democrats, poll finds

Americans trust Democrats on the economy more than Republicans for the first time in years, a new poll reveals.

A new survey from Morning Consult shows 46 percent of Americans say Democratic lawmakers are handling the economy better. Meanwhile, 43 percent say Republicans are doing better, while 11 percent have no opinion, the poll reveals.

This marks the first time more people have trusted Democrats more than Republicans since May 2021, the polling service says. This follows last week’s CBS News/YouGov poll, which shows Trump’s economic approval rating has dropped four points from March, with 60 percent of respondents indicating they disapprove of his tariffs.

This poll follows Trump’s announcement of blanket tariffs of at least 10 percent on nearly every country on April 2, in what he called “Liberation Day” for the U.S. Then, last week, he paused these tariffs for 90 days, citing Americans becoming “yippy” and “afraid.”

He only excluded China from the pause and is now engaged in a trade war with Xi Jinping as the U.S. put a 145 percent tariffs on Chinese goods while Beijing has put a 125 percent retaliatory tariff in place.

In a further escalation Tuesday, the White House said China “now faces up to a 245 percent tariff,” while Beijing has reportedly told airlines to stop ordering parts for Boeing jets and other American planes.

As Trump and his fellow Republicans lose more of the public’s trust on the economy, voters are most likely to want Trump’s top priority to be lowering the cost of living, particularly by making healthcare more affordable, according to Morning Consult’s poll.

However, 49 percent say Trump’s top priority is to drastically reduce the federal workforce and budget through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. Just 29 percent say that this should be his top priority, Morning Consult reports.

Meanwhile, Trump claims the U.S. is “taking in RECORD NUMBERS in Tariffs.” But consumers are feeling the brunt of these tariffs, with some business owners even adding “Trump surcharges” to customers’ bills as Trump’s trade war with China continues and they brace for the end of the 90-day pause.

Trump’s overall approval rating has also dropped to just 45 percent, the lowest point of his second term so far, Morning Consult’s poll shows.