Trump’s Economic Approval Drops to 36%

The Great American Wallet Whodunit: Why Trump’s Economic Approval Crashed to 36%
*Another day, another dollar… except fewer Americans are feeling that dollar love for 45’s economic playbook. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll dropped like a clearance-rack anvil: only 36% of voters still back Trump’s economic policies, while 56% are giving it the side-eye. As your resident mall mole, let’s dust this case for fingerprints—because someone’s been tampering with the national piggybank.*
The Crime Scene: By the Numbers
The polling data reads like a retail receipt nobody wants to sign:
– 36% approval on economic management (down from previous highs)
– 56% disapproval (up, like regrettable credit card balances)
– 42% overall job approval (because apparently folks still like the guy’s *vibes* more than his spreadsheets)
Here’s the kicker: even some of his base are quietly muttering *”dude, maybe not this part”* when it comes to economics. It’s like finding out your favorite thrift-store flannel was actually sewn by raccoons—disappointing, but not entirely surprising.
Suspect #1: The Slowing Growth Grinch
GDP growth has been pulling a *”maybe later”* move, with Q2 2023 numbers limping in at 2.1%—hardly the “greatest economy ever” fireworks promised. Key clues:
– Manufacturing PMI: Contracting for 10 straight months (factory workers aren’t high-fiving)
– Consumer sentiment: Down 7% since July (shoppers = spooked)
– Gas prices: Up 28% from 2020 (because nothing murders disposable income like $4/gallon nostalgia)
*Mole’s Note*: Remember 2018’s sugar rush from tax cuts? Yeah, that’s wearing off faster than a Black Friday dopamine hit.
Suspect #2: Trade Wars & Economic Friendly Fire
The “Tariff Man” legacy might be backfiring harder than a Kohl’s cash miscalculation:
– Farm bankruptcies: Up 24% in Trump-country states since 2017 (soybean farmers miss China)
– Auto tariffs threat: Detroit’s sweating bullets over potential $6,000 price hikes per car
– Retaliatory EU duties: Kentucky bourbon and Wisconsin cheese exports down 37%
*Sleuthing Aside*: Turns out “winning” trade wars is like “winning” a 50%-off sale at Bed Bath & Beyond—everyone loses when the shelves empty out.
Suspect #3: The Debt Trap Disguised as Tax Cuts
That $1.9 trillion Tax Cuts and Jobs Act? More like *”Tax Cuts and Jobs… Where?”*:
– Deficit surge: $984 billion in 2019 → $3.1 trillion by 2020 (thanks, pandemic) → still $1.4 trillion in 2023
– Corporate buybacks: 60% of tax savings went to shareholders, not paychecks (*shocking*)
– Infrastructure grade: Still a D+ from ASCE (but hey, Mar-a-Lago got a seawall upgrade)
*Detective’s Notebook*: Selling “trickle-down” in 2023 is like trying to hype up Payless Shoes—some folks still buy it, but the reviews are brutal.
The Smoking Gun: Wage Stagnation Woes
Unemployment’s low, but wallets aren’t feeling it:
– Real wages: Up just 0.2% since 2020 (inflation ate the rest like a mall pretzel)
– Gig economy: 55% of new “jobs” are freelance/contract work (zero benefits, all stress)
– Rent hikes: Up 18% nationally since pre-pandemic (landlords: 1, renters: 0)
*Mole’s Mic Drop*: When your “booming” economy has workers lining up at food banks, you’ve got a PR problem bigger than Crocs’ 2008 stock.
The Verdict: A Recession of Confidence
This 36% approval isn’t just a number—it’s a neon sign flashing *”fix it or flop.”* With 2024 looming, the administration’s scrambling like a Macy’s cashier on December 26th:
– Plan A: Double down on “Bidenflation” blame (worked for midterms, but gas receipts don’t lie)
– Plan B: Quietly extend some Obama-era policies (see: 2023 CHIPS Act subsidies)
– Plan C: Distract with culture wars (because nothing says “strong economy” like banning TikTok)
*Final Dispatch*: Economic approval ratings are like credit scores—easy to wreck, hard to rebuild. And right now, America’s wallet is side-eyeing DC harder than a minimalist judging a hoarder’s shopping cart. Case (temporarily) closed.