A survey conducted by Financial Times (FT) in partnership with polling firm Focal Data revealed that Trump's job approval ratings across ten categories are predominantly negative.
In the category of 'inflation and cost of living,' only 18% of respondents rated his performance positively, while 69% expressed disapproval, marking the largest gap recorded since FT began this survey. This disapproval rate has increased by 10 percentage points compared to the previous month, according to FT.
Discontent over inflation has also spread among Republican supporters. Among Republican voters, 43% rated Trump's performance in this area negatively, a significant rise from 26% just a month ago.
A clear majority of voters, 67%, attributed rising food prices to Trump's policies. Even among Republican supporters, 53% agreed with this assessment.
Conversely, fewer than 8% of all voters credited Trump's policies for a decrease in food prices.
FT noted that in April, the most recent period for which official statistics are available, retail food prices rose by 2.9% compared to the previous year, the highest increase since 2023. Notably, prices for fruits and vegetables surged by 6.1%.
The inflation statistics for May are set to be released on June 10. Bloomberg's survey of economists predicts an average increase of 4.2%, potentially marking the highest rate in three years.
FT explained that disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran conflict and rising international oil prices are contributing to increased gasoline and diesel prices in the U.S., which in turn is affecting the prices of other goods.
Overall evaluations of economic policy were also negative. In the survey, 64% of voters indicated that the U.S. economy is heading in the wrong direction, while only 26% believed it is on the right track, a slight decline from 29% the previous month.
According to FT, the average monthly job growth in the U.S. over the past three months was 188,000, a significant improvement from the dismal average of 10,000 in 2025. However, the wage growth rate in May was 3.4% year-over-year, falling short of the recent inflation rate of 3.8%.
When asked to evaluate Trump's performance across various areas, 'national debt and government spending' received a positive rating of 22% and a negative rating of 59%. 'Tariffs and trade' scored 26% positive and 57% negative. 'Iran' received 26% positive and 56% negative, while 'housing' was rated 22% positive and 51% negative. 'Jobs and the economy' garnered 28% positive and 55% negative.
'Healthcare' received 28% positive and 51% negative, 'foreign policy' scored 30% positive and 50% negative, and 'artificial intelligence (AI)' had 24% positive and 38% negative. However, 'immigration and border security' showed a narrower gap, with 41% positive and 46% negative.
Trump's overall job approval rating stands at 37% positive and 56% negative, showing little change.
In the upcoming federal midterm elections on November 3, 50% of respondents indicated they would support the Democratic candidate, while 45% favored the Republican candidate. This marks a narrowing gap from the previous month's survey, which showed 52% support for Democrats and 44% for Republicans.
The White House maintains that inflationary pressures are temporary. Kush Desai, a spokesperson for the White House, stated to FT, "The disruptions caused by Iran's attempts to hinder the free flow of energy are creating temporary chaos. Once the effects of our policies take hold and the threat of Iranian terrorism is neutralized, Americans will see inflation slow, gasoline prices drop, and economic growth accelerate."
This survey was conducted from May 29 to June 1 among 1,537 registered voters in the U.S., with a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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