The AP-NORC survey finds a notable gap between Republicans’ recollection of Trump’s economic leadership in his first term and their experience in his second. Only 16% of Republicans now say he helped “a lot” on the cost of living, down sharply from 49% in April 2024, yet roughly eight in 10 still approve of his overall job performance. Immigration remains a relative strength for the president among GOP voters, though approval on that issue has slipped. The poll interviewed 1,203 adults (404 Republicans) Jan. 8–11; margins of error ±3.9 and ±6 points.
Do Trump’s Supporters Say He’s Delivered? AP-NORC Poll Finds Economic Frustration but Strong Immigration Support
FILE - President Donald Trump gestures to a chart as he speaks at Mount Airy Casino Resort, Dec. 9, 2025, in Mount Pocono, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Nearly a year into President Donald Trump’s second term, a new AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds that many Republican voters say the president’s economic performance has not met their expectations — even as his base remains largely supportive overall and gives him credit on immigration.
What the Poll Found
Only 16% of Republicans say Trump has helped “a lot” in addressing the cost of living in his second term, a sharp drop from the 49% who said the same about his first term in an April 2024 AP-NORC poll. Roughly four in 10 Republicans now say he has helped at least “a little” on cost-of-living issues in the current term, compared with 79% who said that after his first term.
On job creation, just over half of Republican respondents say Trump has helped create jobs in his second term; by contrast, 85% credited him with job creation during his first term (62% said he helped “a lot” then). Only 26% of Republicans in the January survey said he helped “a lot” on job creation in the second term.
Perceptions of health-care cost relief have also declined: about one-third of Republicans say Trump has helped reduce health-care costs at least “a little” in his second term, down from 53% who said he had done so during his first term. Observers note this fall comes after the Jan. 1 expiration of federal health-care subsidies that had covered more than 20 million people, leaving many households with much higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
Immigration: A Relative Strength
Immigration remains a strong area for the president with his base: roughly eight in 10 Republicans say Trump has helped at least “a little” on immigration and border security in the second term, a share similar to the first-term ratings. However, GOP approval for his immigration leadership has dipped from 88% in March to 76% in the new poll, and some Republicans criticized aggressive enforcement tactics used in recent operations.
“Still paying $5 for Oreos,” said John Candela, 64, of New Rochelle, New York, describing unchanged household expenses. “I would expect it to be different by the time his four years are up.”
Other interviewees expressed mixed views: many approve of Trump’s direction on national issues even if they dislike his personality or some of his administration’s tactics. About eight in 10 Republicans approve of his overall job performance, compared with roughly four in 10 adults nationwide.
Perceptions of the Country Versus Personal Finances
About two-thirds of Republicans say the country is “much” or “somewhat” better off than before Trump took office, but only roughly half say their own household is better off. That gap — confidence in national direction despite personal economic frustration — may help explain continued high approval among GOP voters despite disappointment on specific cost issues.
Methodology: The AP-NORC poll interviewed 1,203 adults Jan. 8–11 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error is ±3.9 percentage points for adults overall and ±6 percentage points for the 404 Republican respondents in the sample.
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