For most of his first term as president and as a candidate in 2024, Donald Trump had one particular superpower: Americans told pollsters again and again that they largely approved of his handling of the economy, even if they disliked his political style or his presidential performance overall. Voters were willing to overlook the president’s shortcomings — including controversies that would sink any other politician’s career — because they thought he was uniquely qualified to understand and manage the nation’s economy.
However, there are signs that Trump is no longer getting the benefit of the doubt from the most important chunk of voters on the very same measure that once kept him afloat. In fact, for the first time ever, recent polls find that voters are more disappointed in Trump’s handling of the economy than they are of the job he’s doing overall.
In other words, Trump’s superpower has met its kryptonite.
Americans are just as polarized today about Trump as they were during his first term; Democrats hate him, Republicans love him. Today, however, there’s a significantly stronger link
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