Nearly one in four people who backed Donald Trump in 2024 now say their financial situation has gotten worse since he returned to the White House, putting fresh attention on the economy just months before voters head back to the polls. The latest Trump economy poll from the Financial Times and Focaldata found that 24 percent of Trump’s 2024 voters said they are worse off financially. 23 percent of voters who supported Trump in 2020 said the same. Across the broader survey, 53 percent of respondents said their finances have worsened since Trump’s second term began, while about 20 percent said they are doing better and 26 percent said their financial situation is about the same.
The poll was conducted as Americans continue dealing with higher prices in several parts of their budgets. Focaldata said its latest Financial Times survey was conducted from August 7 through August 11 and included 2,152 U.S. adults. The pollster also reported Democrats holding a six-point advantage among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot, adding another layer of political pressure as the November midterms approach.
For Trump, the numbers are especially notable because the frustration is not limited to Democrats or independent voters. The survey suggests a measurable share of the people who helped send him back to Washington are also feeling the squeeze. According to The Hill’s reporting on the survey, 37 percent of Trump’s 2024 voters said the economy is moving in the wrong direction, while roughly half of his 2024 supporters approved of his handling of the economy and job market.
The financial anxiety is showing up alongside government data that confirms prices remain elevated. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices rose 3.4 percent during the 12 months ending in July 2026. That was slightly cooler than the 3.5 percent annual increase recorded in June, but it remained above the 3 percent annual inflation rate recorded in January 2025, the month Trump began his second term.
Energy remains one of the biggest pressure points. BLS data shows the overall energy index climbed 14.7 percent from July 2025 to July 2026. Gasoline prices rose even faster, jumping 24.6 percent over the same period. That distinction matters because energy inflation and gasoline inflation are separate measurements, even though both ultimately show up in household expenses.
Drivers are seeing those increases every time they pull up to the pump. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at about $4.06 on August 17. AAA data showed the national average was below $3 in late February before prices surged during the months that followed.
That kind of increase can hit differently than an economic statistic on a government website. Gas is an expense millions of people see in real time, and higher transportation costs can also work their way through shipping, travel, and household spending. For voters already watching grocery bills, rent and other monthly expenses, a more expensive trip to the gas station can reinforce the feeling that their money is not stretching as far.
The broader political problem is that affordability remains closely tied to how voters judge the economy. The poll arrives during a midterm cycle in which economic concerns are already prominent. In July, Pew Research Center found the economy sitting near the center of voter concerns as Americans considered their choices for Congress.
None of that means one survey can predict what will happen in November. Polls capture voter attitudes at a particular moment, and economic conditions can shift before Election Day. But the latest numbers offer Republicans something harder to dismiss than criticism from the opposing party: a portion of Trump’s own voters are saying directly that they do not feel financially better off.
With inflation still above its January 2025 level and gasoline costs significantly higher than they were a year ago, the next few months could turn the debate over Trump’s economic record into a much more personal question for voters: not what the numbers look like in Washington, but what is left in their accounts after the bills are paid.
