Trump faces backlash on economy as inflation rises
by Sylvan Lane - 10/23/25 6:00 AM ET
President Trump is facing growing pressure over his handling of the economy as inflation rises, the job market weakens and American exporters suffer backlash from his trade agenda.
Federal data set to be released Friday is expected to show annual inflation hitting 3 percent for the first time since the Biden administration — a full percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve’s target. Economists are projecting the consumer price index (CPI) report to show higher inflation in September largely due to climbing energy and food prices — two of the hardest areas for Americans to cut costs.
Despite Trump’s claims to the contrary, prices have risen steadily since the second half of the year, largely in line with when the president cemented his tariff agenda. Annual inflation as measured by the CPI dropped from 3 percent in January to 2.4 percent in March, but spiked back up to 2.9 percent by August.
Businesses are also hiring far fewer workers than in recent years, pushing the unemployment rate higher and millions of Americans into deeper financial pain.
The combination has brought Trump’s ratings on the economy down to historic lows, according to a new poll.
Just 38 percent of voters approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, the lowest level he’s received since February 2017. Fifty-seven percent of voters said they disapproved of Trump’s handling of the economy.
“With a nearly 20-point gap between approval and disapproval on President Trump’s handling of the economy, it’s a low watermark for a president who promised a vibrant and muscular economy,” said Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy.
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https://thehill.com/business/5568006-trump-economy-inflation-jobs-pressure/