Rising gasoline prices
Trump loses approval for economic policy among Republicans
Updated on May 21, 2026 – 11:02 amReading time: 2 minutes
Refueling is also becoming increasingly expensive in the USA. The Republicans apparently resent their president for this. This could be a problem for Trump in the congressional elections.
US President Donald Trump is losing support within his own party on a key issue. According to a new poll by the Norc Institute in collaboration with the American Press news agency, 37 percent of Republicans are dissatisfied with his economic policies. In February it was still 21 percent. That could signal a shift within the US president’s voter base and pose difficulties for Republicans in the November 2026 congressional elections.
Trump had made strengthening the economy and combating inflation a central theme of his election campaign in 2024. But even a year after he took office, Americans are still struggling with a difficult economic situation and high costs of living. In the wake of the Iran war, rising gasoline prices are putting particular strain on the population. Almost three months after the conflict began, 30 percent of Republicans disapprove of Trump’s dealings with Iran.
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The assessment of economic policy is also poor across party lines: only 30 percent of those surveyed were satisfied with Trump’s course. However, general satisfaction with his presidency improved slightly compared to April, from 33 to 37 percent. The survey was conducted May 14-18 among 1,117 adults. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.8 percentage points.
Trump scores most points with his migration policy, for which general approval has increased slightly to 45 percent. Among Republicans, 83 percent were positive about the US President’s migration policy.
Congressional Elections: A Test for the President
The Republican primaries within the party therefore continue to show Trump as the dominant figure in the party. In Kentucky, Trump-backed Ed Gallrein prevailed against Representative Thomas Massie, who had criticized Trump’s handling of the Epstein files and the Iran war. Senator Bill Cassidy also lost his primary in Louisiana. After the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Cassidy voted to convict Trump in the subsequent impeachment trial. In Louisiana, Trump-backed candidates Julia Letlow and John Fleming advanced to the runoff election.
Trump’s popularity is likely to play an important role in the congressional elections. The so-called midterms are seen as a mood test for the incumbent. Historically, the president’s party often loses seats in Congress.
During Trump’s first term in 2018, Democrats won the statewide majority of votes in congressional elections by nearly nine points and captured 41 seats in the House of Representatives. Under Joe Biden 2022, the Republicans gained nine seats. Poor approval ratings for Trump could increase Democrats’ chances of making similarly significant gains in November’s congressional elections.
