The latest Washington Post/ABC poll has a smorgasbord of bad news for Donald Trump, starting with his overall approval rating dropping to 38% (56% disapprove), down six points from July, when it stood at 44%. But the real story is in Americans' views of the economy and Trump's handling of it—perceptions that have typically been the relative strength of Trump's presidency.
Fully 60% of respondents say an economic recession is very or somewhat likely to hit next year, with a solid plurality of 43% saying Trump's policies have increased that likelihood. Just 16% believe Trump's economic policies have decreased the likelihood of a recession. That’s a staggering deficit on a matter that’s a supposed strength for Trump.
Many of those negative perceptions appear to be driven by Trump's trade war with China. Just 35% of Americans approve of how Trump's handling negotiations with China, while 56% disapprove. That means Trump is basically down to a cultists-only level of support on how he's handling a fight he proactively picked with China and continues to escalate.
When it comes to the personal cost of Trump's trade war, 60% of Americans fear it will raise the price of household goods for their family, with one-third saying they are "very concerned" about this. Even some of Trump's key voting blocs are concerned about rising prices due to his tariffs, including 55% of whites who don't have college degrees and 54% of those who reside in rural parts of the country. Trump's trade fiasco is also sucking wind with potential swing voters: Six in 10 suburbanites and political independents alike voiced concern about price increases.
Overall, 56% of Americans say the economy is currently in excellent or good shape, but that's down from 65% last fall. Trump is also 1 point underwater on his handling of the economy: 47% disapprove, while 46% approve.
Trump clearly didn't like the numbers, declaring the Washington Post/ABC poll "the worst and most inaccurate poll of any taken prior to the 2016 Election." Polling, he declared, is all just a big hoax designed to bring down Trump.