Most Americans Say the U.S. Is on the Wrong Track, Blame Trump and Republicans for National Decline

A new opinion poll has revealed that a majority of Americans believe their country is heading dangerously in the wrong direction — and they blame President Donald Trump and his Republican Party for it.

According to the survey conducted by ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos, more than six out of ten respondents said that Trump and the Republican Party are “out of touch with reality.”

The results show that 95% of Democrats, 77% of independents, and even 29% of Republicans think the country is significantly off course.

Although 67% say the United States is moving in the wrong direction, that figure represents a slight improvement from November 2024, when 75% expressed the same view before the presidential election.

Most Americans Say U.S. Headed in Wrong Direction Under Trump

The poll found that Americans in urban, suburban, and rural areas — across all income and education levels — share this pessimistic outlook.

64% of Americans said Trump is going “too far” in expanding presidential powers, and 59% disapprove of the way he is handling his job as president.

52% said the economy has worsened since Trump took office, while 48% believe U.S. global leadership has weakened under him.

Overall, the survey concluded that most Americans are unhappy, anxious, and detached from both major political parties and the president himself. A growing number are also worried about the government shutdown.

At the same time, a larger percentage (68%) believe that the Democratic Party is “out of touch” with most Americans’ concerns — slightly more than those who said the same about Trump (63%) and the Republican Party (61%).

Nearly half of Americans (48%) say U.S. leadership in the world has grown weaker under Trump, one-third (33%) say it has become stronger, and 18% see no change — roughly the same pattern as in his first term.

With a year to go until the 2026 midterm elections, Americans’ negative views of the economy and the state of the country suggest trouble ahead for Trump’s party.

State of the Economy

A slim majority (52%) said the economy has declined since Trump became president; 27% believe it has improved, and 20% say it has remained the same. Those who said the economy is “much worse” outnumber those who said it’s “much better” by roughly 3 to 1 (26% vs. 9%).

Lower-income Americans were particularly pessimistic — nearly 57% of households earning under $50,000 a year said the economy is worse under Trump.

About 60% of Americans blame Trump for the current inflation rate, including roughly one-third who say he deserves “a great deal” of the blame.

Even 20% of Republicans share that view, along with 92% of Democrats and 66% of independents.

Only 18% said their personal finances have improved since Trump took office, compared with 37% who said they are worse off.

Trump’s Approval Rating

Trump’s disapproval rating has climbed significantly. Currently, 59% disapprove of his performance, while only 41% approve, one of his lowest levels to date.

Strong disapproval (46%) outweighs strong approval (20%) by more than two to one.

Across all issues — including tariffs, the economy, federal management, immigration, crime, and foreign affairs — a majority of Americans disapprove of his handling.

His highest approval was for his handling of the Israel–Gaza war (46% approval vs. 52% disapproval) — a modest improvement since September, when only 39% approved.

Trump has claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, though analysts say the deal remains fragile.

However, Trump’s approval on economic management dropped to 37%, his lowest since taking office.

Trump’s Expanding Powers

Most Americans believe Trump has gone “too far” in trying to:

• Expand presidential powers (64%)

• Fire federal employees (57%)

• Deploy the National Guard in U.S. cities (55%)

• Change how colleges and universities operate (54%)

• Eliminate diversity and inclusion programs (51%)

• Deport undocumented immigrants (50%)

Only 48% say he has achieved “a good amount” during his presidency.

Midterm Elections Outlook

Voters are almost evenly split: 46% would vote for a Democratic candidate, and 44% for a Republican if elections were held today.

These numbers mirror past election cycles — Republicans led before the 2022 midterms (and won the House), while Democrats led before the 2018 midterms (and took the House).

Crime, Immigration, and International Issues

Around 6 in 10 Americans believe crime in major cities is “very serious,” compared to fewer than 20% who say the same about their local areas. Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to view urban crime as a critical issue.

The country is divided on ICE deportations and National Guard deployments, with Republicans strongly in favor and Democrats largely opposed.

On foreign crises, 47% say Trump spends “the right amount of time” on global issues, 32% say “too much,” and 19% say “too little.”

46% believe Trump supports Russia “too much” in the war on Ukraine.

When it comes to politically motivated violence, 34% blame the Republican Party, 28% blame Democrats, and 28% blame both equally.

Finally, 92% of Trump supporters and 97% of Kamala Harris supporters say they do not regret their 2024 votes.