RismadarVoice Reporters
September 20, 2026
A majority of registered voters in the United States say President Donald Trump’s policies have negatively affected the economy, according to a new NBC News poll released ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The survey found that 55 per cent of voters believe Mr Trump’s policies have hurt the economy, compared with 26 per cent who say the policies have helped and 18 per cent who believe they have made little difference.
Trump’s approval rating has also fallen to 41 per cent among registered voters, while 56 per cent disapprove of his performance as president.
The poll comes as Republicans face a competitive battle for control of Congress, with Democrats holding a five-point advantage among voters asked which party they would support for Congress.
The Democratic Party leads the Republican Party 50 per cent to 45 per cent on the congressional ballot question.
The gap, however, is considerably smaller than the 12-point Democratic advantage recorded at a similar stage before the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives during Trump’s first term.
Despite the Democratic lead, the poll also showed that the party continues to face weak public ratings. Fifty per cent of respondents view the Democratic Party negatively, compared with 29 per cent who have a positive opinion of it.
The Republican Party recorded a 36 per cent favourable rating and 49 per cent unfavourable rating.
The survey suggests that economic concerns are increasingly shaping voters’ views of the president and the parties ahead of the November elections.
Trump’s economic approval has deteriorated since March, when 48 per cent of voters said his policies were hurting the economy. That figure has now risen to 55 per cent.
The poll also found that the Republican Party’s previous advantage over Democrats on managing the economy and inflation has largely disappeared.
Democrats hold a one-point advantage over Republicans on which party voters trust more to handle the economy, although the result falls within the poll’s margin of error.
On inflation, Democrats have a seven-point advantage.
Republicans, however, retain sizeable leads on issues including crime, border security and immigration. The GOP leads Democrats by 21 percentage points on border security, although that margin has narrowed from 36 points recorded in September 2022.
The survey indicates that Trump himself is likely to remain a major factor in how voters approach the midterm elections.
Forty-three per cent of voters said their congressional vote would be intended to signal opposition to Trump, while 27 per cent said their vote would represent support for him. Another 28 per cent said their vote would not be a signal either way.
Among independent voters, 46 per cent said their vote would be a signal of opposition to Trump, compared with 10 per cent who said it would signal support.
The poll also found that 52 per cent of voters would be less likely to support a congressional candidate endorsed by Trump, while 30 per cent said a Trump endorsement would make them more likely to support the candidate.
Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster whose firm, Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed with Democratic polling firm Hart Research Associates, said the political environment was challenging for Republicans but that the party’s strength in traditionally Republican areas remained significant.
“The issue environment is tilting substantially towards the Democrats,” Mr McInturff said.
Trump’s major tax and spending legislation, known as the “big, beautiful bill”, is also receiving a mixed response.
Forty-two per cent of voters said they would be less likely to support a candidate who backs the legislation, while 36 per cent said they would be more likely to support such a candidate.
A proposal by Trump to provide $5,000 payments to adults if Republicans retain control of Congress also received a largely negative response.
Forty-six per cent said they would be less likely to support a candidate who backs the proposal, while 21 per cent said they would be more likely to support such a candidate.
The poll further showed continued public opposition to the US war with Iran. Fifty-seven per cent said they would be less likely to support a candidate who backs the war, compared with 24 per cent who said they would be more likely to do so.
Sixty-two per cent of respondents said the war had not been worth it, while 33 per cent said it had been worthwhile.
Although the poll shows opportunities for Democrats, it does not indicate broad public enthusiasm for the party.
Jeff Horwitt, a Democratic pollster with Hart Research Associates, said the findings reflected dissatisfaction with Trump and Republicans rather than strong support for Democrats.
The Democratic Party holds an advantage on several issues, including healthcare, inflation, government corruption and data centres.
Republicans continue to lead on crime, immigration and border security.
The poll also found that 53 per cent of voters would be more likely to support a candidate who favours Medicare for All, compared with 36 per cent who would be less likely to support such a candidate.
When respondents were told that the programme would be partly financed through taxes, 49 per cent said they would be more likely to support such a candidate, while 39 per cent said they would be less likely.
Candidates associated with the Democratic Socialists of America and proposals to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), however, received less favourable responses.
Half of voters said they would be less likely to support a candidate who backs many of the Democratic Socialists of America’s proposed policies, while 31 per cent said they would be more likely to do so.
The NBC News poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters between September 11 and 15 through a combination of telephone interviews and an online survey distributed by text message.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
