A new poll released on Tuesday shows that 57 percent of Americans believe the U.S. economy is getting worse—the highest percentage in over a year.
Why It Matters
Public sentiment about the U.S. economy has grown increasingly negative in the closing months of 2025. According to recent polls, a majority of Americans now believe that economic conditions are deteriorating, a trend that coincides with a government shutdown, inflation concerns, and widening partisan divides.
Analysts note that such pessimism can impact consumer confidence, policy decisions, and political outcomes in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
What To Know
The Economist/YouGov poll found that 18 percent of U.S. adults polled think the economy is getting better compared to 21 percent who think it is about the same, “both down from earlier this year,” YouGov’s Allen Houston told Newsweek. The largest percentage believes the economy is getting worse, with 57 percent, and 4 percent are unsure.
The last time this percentage of Americans felt the economy was going in the wrong direction was May 2024, during former President Joe Biden’s presidency, Houston said.
The poll surveyed 1,622 people from October 10 to October 13 and has a 3.5 percent margin of error.
In Tuesday’s poll, the most important issues to Americans are inflation and prices, jobs and the economy, and health care.
In a previous survey by the pollster taken from October 4 to October 6, 53 percent of U.S. adults believed the economy was getting worse.
The federal government shutdown, which began on October 1 and is now in its third week, has further heightened concerns. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the shutdown is “starting to affect the real economy. It’s starting to affect people’s lives,” highlighting impacts on federal workers and military pay.
What People Are Saying
Mark Williams, a master finance lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, told Newsweek: “Compared to last year, the U.S. economy is slowing down. Consumer confidence has hit recent lows, reflecting the uncertainty around rising layoffs, slowing hiring and an ongoing federal shutdown. Economic data is also pointing to inflation remaining sticky and above Fed target rates.
“The trade war with China, reignited by the White House last week, has also elevated market uncertainty with stocks dropping and gold prices hitting new historic highs. The only silver lining in recent economic news is that the Fed has finally started a rate-cutting cycle in an attempt to shoreup a softening job market, which could benefit consumers interested in borrowing for mortgages, cars and other purchases. However, should layoffs continue to climb, those without jobs will not have the means to borrow or take advantage of these falling interest rates.”
DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer sent a statement to Newsweek via email: “Working families are footing the bill for Donald Trump’s trade war. Let’s be clear: Trump’s billionaire buddies are profiting off his trade war while they pass on costs to consumers, who are already struggling under the weight of his failed economy. Trump’s reckless tariffs are needlessly spiking inflation and driving up prices on everything from groceries to housing to utilities. Trump could reverse his reckless economic policies today — but he won’t, because he’d rather satisfy his own ego.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday: “The last administration had the greatest inflation in the history of our country. And now, as you know, groceries are down, it’s all down.”
What Happens Next
The outlook for economic sentiment remains unknown as the government shutdown continues with no resolution in sight. Prolonged disruptions could deepen public pessimism, especially among low- and middle-income Americans already reporting the greatest hardship.