'You never see numbers like this': Trump's economy approval with independents plunges 79 points

Vishesh Raisinghani

Sat, May 9, 2026

4 min read

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump's approval ratings on the economy and inflation were among his key weapons. But just 15 months into his second term, the approval rating has plummeted so deeply and abruptly that CNN's Harry Enten (1) thought it was a typo.

According to Enten, the "switcheroo" is staggering. Back in late 2024, Trump had a 9-point lead over his rival Vice President Kamala Harris on inflation with independent voters. In 2026, his approval rating with this cohort dropped to negative 70 percentage points – a total 79-point swing.

"Honestly, I went through the spreadsheets because I was so concerned I somehow mistyped something," Enten said. "My goodness gracious, you rarely ever see numbers this bad with independents, but that's exactly where the President is on inflation."

The ongoing war in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices could be part of the reason why politically unaffiliated Americans are growing severely dissatisfied with the Trump economy.

Persian Gulf crisis

The price of crude oil has surged roughly 40% since the Iran war began and the Strait of Hormuz was shut, according to CNBC (2). This sharp rise in fuel costs has a knock-on impact on the rest of the economy. According to the Bank of England, (3) "Higher energy costs will also feed through indirectly to consumer prices as firms pass higher costs through their supply chains."

But you don't need to be a central banker to notice the link. A Quinnipiac University poll (4) found that 73% of independents blame Trump for the recent rise in gasoline prices, including 53% who blame him "a lot" and 20% who blame him "some."

If the crisis continues or escalates, ordinary Americans could be bracing for more sticker shocks ahead.