2026-07-24 · contested story

Is Trump losing his grip on working-class voters? | The Excerpt

New polling data reveals a significant shift in President Donald Trump's standing with working-class and rural voters—groups that formed the cornerstone of his electoral coalition. Multiple surveys show his approval rating on economic issues has plummeted, particularly among white voters without college degrees and households earning under $50,000 annually. A CBS poll found 54% of white non-college voters now disapprove of Trump's performance (up from 32% in February 2025), while a Reuters poll showed 48% of rural voters disapprove (up from 34% after he took office). The discontent is driven primarily by rising costs for groceries, gas, and healthcare, exacerbated by the ongoing Iran war and expired pandemic-era subsidies. Left-leaning outlets like USA Today and CNN frame this as evidence that "Trump's devoted base has not only shrunk significantly, but is now historically pretty small," with CNN's Harry Enten declaring "the working class have turned against Donald Trump." They emphasize polling showing Trump's "strong approval" has dropped to just 15% nationally and highlight interviews with disillusioned 2024 Trump voters now questioning their choice. Center outlets like Lee Enterprises and The Hill acknowledge the polling decline but note party affiliation remains "sticky" and question whether this represents temporary economic grumbling or a durable realignment. Right-leaning Fox News counters by noting Trump's approval rating still outpaces Obama and Bush at similar points in their second terms, while conservative columnist Liz Peek argues "President Trump continues to be the strongest advocate for America's working-class men and women," attributing any decline to the Iran war rather than fundamental policy failures.

How each side frames it

left
"Trump's devoted base has not only shrunk significantly, but is now historically pretty small."
"A new Washington Post-Ipsos poll is merely the latest data point suggesting Trump's devoted base has not only shrunk significantly, but is now historically pretty small. The Post-Ipsos poll shows just 15% of Americans said they strongly approved of Trump — a number that translates to fewer than 1 in every 6 people."
"Ashton Reed... was drawn by Trump's vow to recharge the economy and curb the inflation that many around his hometown of Jackson, Missouri, blamed on then-President Joe Biden. Reed, 22, has since seen prices rise and a war in Iran of the kind Trump promised to avoid... 'A huge chunk of why I voted for him in 2024 was because of economics,' Reed said of Trump. 'Obviously not happy with him at all.'"
"The working class have turned against Donald Trump. They simply put, don't believe things are affordable, are taking their anger out on him. And you really have to wonder whether or not they'll take out their anger on Republicans come the fall midterm elections as well."
"Trump's strongly approve numbers didn't fall into the mid-teens until midway through his sixth year in office, in 2006. By the end, some polls showed his number actually falling into the single digits. Trump isn't that low yet. But this is just the latest evidence that his base isn't what it's cracked up to be — or at least what it used to be."
center
"White House spokesman Kush Desai said gas prices and inflation will drop once the Iran conflict resolves. And the Treasury Department recently sought to highlight how families have benefited from tax cuts."
"The larger question, Lupu said, is whether the polling represents a temporary, price-driven grumble that reverses once inflation cools, or if it marks cracks in working-class and rural voters' yearslong move toward Republicans."
"A Fox News poll in April found that 38% of white non-college respondents approved of his handling of inflation. So a majority are not feeling that way. So that's significant."
"I think some of the experts I talked to, as you mentioned the stickiness, it's not necessarily that they believe a lot of people are going to suddenly vote Democrat who've been voting Republican. It may just be that people stay home and that could cut into the GOP efforts to maintain their majorities."
"Bob Worth farms 1,700 acres of soybeans and corn... 'I still have hope and faith in him to get it done; he's a businessman, he's not a politician,' he said."
right
"President Donald Trump's national approval rating is higher than those of former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush at the same point in their second terms, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average."
"Going into the midterms, Trump's support across most voter groups has dropped, thanks largely to the war with Iran, which is driving up gasoline prices. Democrats will take advantage of that slump, but their forecast gains in November are unlikely to reflect a long-term political reassignment of the American working class."
"It sure isn't the Democratic Socialists of America, who are largely white, college-educated liberals. They claim to be fighting for that group they cannot even define."
"Trump's pro-business policies that were included in last year's tax bill, like incentives for investment and his signature drive to cut red tape. These do not just benefit CEOs; they also lead to a growing economy, strong employment and higher wages. The conservative Committee to Unleash Prosperity reports that in the first 16 months of Trump's current term, real incomes for the lowest 25 percent of earners increased by almost $2,100. They actually shrank under former President Biden."
"If Democrats think they can bring working-class voters back to their tent because some over-educated angry gender studies majors talk up the miseries of income inequality and the glories of socialism, they are wrong."

What each side left out

The left left out — covered by the MEAWW & The Hill
The left left out — covered by the Lee Enterprises
The right left out — covered by the CNN & USA Today
The right left out — covered by the USA Today & Lee Enterprises
The center left out — covered by the MEAWW

What's actually true?

[verified] A CBS News-YouGov poll in May found 54% of white, non-college voters disapproved of Trump's performance, up from 32% in February 2025
[verified] A Washington Post-Ipsos poll shows just 15% of Americans said they strongly approved of Trump
[verified] 82% of working-class Americans with incomes under $50,000 feel groceries are unaffordable
[verified] Trump won 69% of the rural vote in 2024
[contested] Real incomes for the lowest 25 percent of earners increased by almost $2,100 in the first 16 months of Trump's current term
[verified] Among rural voters, a June Reuters/Ipsos poll found 48% disapproved of Trump, up from 34% the month after he returned to office
[verified] Trump's approval rating is higher than Obama and Bush at similar points in their second terms
[verified] About 44% of residents in Perry County, Kentucky relied on Medicaid in 2024

The narrative clash

Significance of Trump's current approval levels
Left: Trump's strongly approve numbers didn't fall into the mid-teens until midway through his sixth year in office, in 2006. By the end, some polls showed his number actually falling into the single digits. Trump isn't that low yet. But this is just the latest evidence that his base isn't what it's cracked up to be
Right: President Donald Trump's national approval rating is higher than those of former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush at the same point in their second terms, according to a RealClearPolitics polling average.
Economic performance for working-class Americans
Left: just 16% of those with household incomes under $50,000 think that groceries are affordable. The lion's share, 82%. You rarely ever see 82% of any group agreeing on anything. But what you see here is that those working class folks, those who have incomes, household incomes, under $50,000, the lion's share, more than 4 in 5 say that groceries are unaffordable at this point.
Right: The conservative Committee to Unleash Prosperity reports that in the first 16 months of Trump's current term, real incomes for the lowest 25 percent of earners increased by almost $2,100. They actually shrank under former President Biden.
Long-term political implications
Left: The working class have turned against Donald Trump. They simply put, don't believe things are affordable, are taking their anger out on him. And you really have to wonder whether or not they'll take out their anger on Republicans come the fall midterm elections as well.
Right: Going into the midterms, Trump's support across most voter groups has dropped, thanks largely to the war with Iran, which is driving up gasoline prices. Democrats will take advantage of that slump, but their forecast gains in November are unlikely to reflect a long-term political reassignment of the American working class.

9 sources analyzed

en.wikipedia.org USA Today edition.cnn.com Mediaite news.meaww.com tampafp.com news.lee.net The Hill Fox News

Perspectivity reads the coverage — not just who published it.

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