Trump’s Economic Approval Falls to 36% Among Blue-Collar White Voters Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 13
Trump’s Economic Approval Falls to 36% Among Blue-Collar White Voters Ahead of 2026 Midterms
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 13
Summary
36% of blue-collar white voters approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living in a New York Times survey, signaling a sharp erosion in a core Republican bloc.
Recent polls now show white voters without college degrees disapproving of his economic performance by 14 to more than 30 points, reversing the 30-point-plus approval margins he held with them before the 2018 midterms.
That slide stands out because working-class white voters had long underpinned Trump’s political coalition even when his broader approval weakened.
Strategists in both parties say the shift could become one of the most consequential developments of the 2026 midterm cycle, recalling how Republican losses in the 2018 House were tied to Trump’s unpopularity.
With a key voter base doubting the economy, is America on the verge of a historic political realignment?
Beyond presidential policy, what global forces are most responsible for the current economic pressures felt by households?
Historic Decline: Trump’s Blue-Collar Economic Approval Plummets to 39%—Implications for 2026 Midterms and GOP Coalition
Overview
President Donald Trump is facing a historic decline in economic approval, especially among blue-collar white voters who have long been his core supporters. Recent polling shows his economic approval rating has dropped to 39 percent, lower than his overall approval, with more than half of voters now disapproving of his performance. This marks a significant erosion of confidence in his economic leadership and signals a major shift in public sentiment. The sharp drop suggests that blue-collar communities are re-evaluating Trump’s economic policies, which could have serious political consequences for his coalition and the upcoming elections.