Voters Trust Democrats Over Republicans To Handle The Economy Less Than Three Months Into Trump's Term: Poll

As the Trump administration continues defending tariffs and the uncertainty they have created in the global economy, voters are reacting, with more saying they trust Democrats more than Republicans to handle the economy for the first time since 2021, a new poll shows.

The poll in question was conducted by Morning Consult among 2,203 registered U.S. voters across the country between April 11-13. It found that more trust Democrats in Congress more than their Republican counterparts to handle the economy (46% to 43%).

The 3-percentage-point advantage is the largest for Democrats since April 2021. According to Morning Consult, it illustrates a stark unraveling for the GOP, which had come off the 2024 election with a double-digit advantage on the matter.

Interestingly, the administration's policies have also led voters to have a slightly more positive than negative outlook about Democrats in Congress than their Republican counterparts (47% to 46%).

The Trump administration has made headlines after rescinding reciprocal tariffs above 10 percent on most countries, but raising them on China to 145 percent. The president has also given mixed signals on whether he will also put tariffs on semiconductors despite initially saying he would not put tariffs on Chinese electronics.

Trump also suggested Monday that he might temporarily exempt the auto industry from tariffs he previously imposed on the sector to give carmakers time to adjust their supply chains.

"I'm looking at something to help some of the car companies with it," Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office. The Republican president said automakers needed time to relocate production from Canada, Mexico and other places, "And they need a little bit of time because they're going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time. So I'm talking about things like that."

Trump's back-and-forth on tariffs has fueled a sense of uncertainty and confusion about his intentions and end goals. The S&P 500 stock index was up 0.8% Monday, but it's still down nearly 8% this year. Interest rates on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes were elevated at roughly 4.4%.

Republicans' recent performance on the economy is a blow to the party. Six days after Trump entered office, the GOP in Congress held an 11 point lead over Democrats when it came to which party voters trusted over the economy, according to Morning Consult polling.

Congress lawmakers are not the only ones growing unpopular, so is the president himself. Trump's approval rating slumped to 45% in the recent poll, the lowest point of his second term so far as Americans react to his trade policies, while 52% disapprove. His personal popularity has also dropped to a second-term low, with voters 10 points more likely to view him unfavorably than favorably.

Trump's trade policies have also led to some tensions within the party. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has been a vocal critic of the policies, arguing the tariffs will ultimately hurt the party and Americans. In a recent speech in Congress he praised his Democratic colleagues for pushing back against the policies and describing Trump's actions as executive overreach and infringement on Congress.

"I am a Republican. I am a supporter of Donald Trump. But this is a bipartisan problem," Paul said. "I don't care if the president is a Republican or a Democrat. I don't want to live under emergency rule. I don't want to live where my representatives cannot speak for me and have a check and balance on power."