On November 19, 2025, Fox Business Channel and Fox News Channel’s programming dove into the heart of America’s economic anxieties, reflecting a nation grappling with persistent affordability crises and political disillusionment. As Fox Business’s 'Varney & Company' and 'The Big Money Show' aired discussions about defending former President Donald Trump’s economic record amid mounting Democratic criticism, a new Fox News national survey painted a far bleaker picture of public sentiment.
According to Fox News, the survey, conducted between November 14 and 17, 2025, polled 1,005 registered voters and revealed that a staggering 76% of Americans now view the economy negatively. That’s a notable jump from the 67% who felt this way in July, and even higher than the 70% recorded at the end of President Biden’s term. The survey’s margin of error is ±3 percentage points, but the message is clear: economic dissatisfaction is deepening across the political spectrum.
Everyday costs are pinching wallets like never before. Eighty-five percent of respondents reported that grocery prices had increased over the past year, including 60% who said costs rose "a lot." Utilities weren’t far behind, with 78% noting higher bills, and similar trends were seen for healthcare (67%), housing (66%), and gasoline (54%). These rising expenses are not just numbers on a page—they’re real pain points felt in kitchens and living rooms nationwide.
Personal finances have not escaped the gloom. Only 40% rated their financial situation as excellent or good, while 60% described it as fair or poor—a ratio that has held steady for a year. The numbers are even more troubling among non-college voters, Hispanics, Black Americans, independents, and those under age 45, with roughly 70% in these groups rating their finances negatively. For households earning less than $50,000 annually, a full 79% expressed a negative outlook.
When it comes to assigning blame for the economic malaise, voters are pointing fingers—and mostly at Trump. The Fox News survey found that about twice as many respondents blame Trump for the current state of the economy compared to Biden (62% vs. 32%). The partisan divide is sharp, with Democrats nearly 40 percentage points more likely than Republicans to fault Trump. Still, a surprising 42% of Republicans also hold him responsible, while a 53% majority of GOP voters point to Biden. Among independents, the verdict is even more pronounced: 62% say Trump is at fault, compared to 29% for Biden.
Trump’s overall job approval has taken a hit, too. Only 41% of all voters approve of his performance, while 58% disapprove—a career-high level of disapproval among men, White voters, and those without a college degree. Even among Republicans, approval has slipped, dropping from 92% in March to 86%. For Trump, these numbers mark a new low, with only one previous instance of lower ratings (38-57%) back in October 2017 during his first term. For comparison, President Biden’s approval at the same point in his presidency was slightly higher, standing at 44% approval and 54% disapproval in November 2021.
Voters’ judgments of Trump’s handling of specific issues varied. His approval on border security was the highest at 53%, followed by immigration at 46%. But on the economy, only 38% approved, and the numbers dropped further for tariffs (35%) and healthcare (34%). The survey also highlighted that three times as many voters said Trump’s economic policies had hurt them, a sentiment that mirrors what was said about Biden’s policies a year earlier. In December 2018, just 21% overall said they had been harmed by Trump’s policies, including only a third of Democrats. Today, that number has soared, driven by three-quarters of Democrats now saying they’ve been hurt.
Marc Thiessen, a Fox News contributor, joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the affordability crisis and the political fallout. He noted that the pain with prices and uncertainty about Trump administration policies are adding up to high disapproval, even among the president’s loyal constituencies. Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps run the Fox News Poll alongside Democrat Chris Anderson, succinctly summarized the situation: "People are struggling to afford necessities and blaming those in charge. What’s interesting is watching Democrats gain politically from a problem they arguably caused — and that crushed them in 2024. But that’s politics."
Beyond the kitchen table, the survey revealed deep frustration with political leadership across the board. Nearly six in ten voters said the president and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle don’t care about people like them. Congressional Democrats and Republicans, as well as Trump himself, all received similarly low marks for empathy. The recent government shutdown did little to improve perceptions. While 10% of families said the shutdown caused severe hardship and 35% reported moderate hardship, more than half (54%) said it wasn’t a hardship at all. But the shutdown wasn’t a political winner for anyone: nearly two-thirds disapproved of how Trump (62%), congressional Republicans (63%), and congressional Democrats (64%) handled it.
Party favorability ratings have also suffered. The Democratic Party’s favorability has dropped to a record low of 39%, down from 42% in July. The GOP’s positive rating matched that low at 39%, slipping from 44% earlier in the summer. Trump’s favorability stands at 40%, down from 43% in September and a high of 50% in January. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s ratings have deteriorated the most, with just 22% viewing him favorably versus 54% unfavorably—a net minus-32 points. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also saw their ratings dip, though not as dramatically.
On policy, voters see Republicans as better equipped to handle border security, immigration, and crime, while Democrats are favored on issues like affordability, wages, healthcare, and climate change. The two parties are essentially tied when it comes to job creation. The 2010 healthcare law (Obamacare) remains popular, with 54% having a favorable opinion—thanks largely to strong support from Democrats. Notably, Trump received his lowest approval on healthcare, reinforcing the difficulty both parties face in addressing these pocketbook issues.
Voters are also worried about the health of American democracy. Two-thirds are concerned that Congress (64%) and the Supreme Court (63%) are failing to maintain proper checks and balances, ceding too much authority to the president. At the same time, nearly half (47%) worry that the judicial branch is obstructing Trump’s ability to carry out his agenda.
As Fox News and Fox Business Channel’s coverage made clear, these survey findings are more than just numbers—they reflect the lived realities and frustrations of Americans from all walks of life. The debate over who’s to blame for the economy, and who has the best plan to fix it, is far from settled. But one thing is certain: the nation’s economic pain is real, and it is shaping the political landscape in unpredictable ways.
