Americans See Economy Sliding, Blame Trump

0:00Nearly 3-quarters of Americans now say the economy is heading downhill, according to fresh polls from Gallup, Fox News, and Marquette Law School. 47% rate current conditions as poor, up 7 points from March, while the Gallup Economic Confidence Index plunged 11 points to, minus 38, the lowest since late 2023. Meanwhile, inflation fears are spiking, with 7 and 10 expecting prices to climb over the next year, up 9 points since January. Gas prices stay high amid the ongoing mess in Iran, and voters largely call that conflict not worth the pump pain. Folks are pointing fingers at Trump, with 56% in the Fox poll saying his policies heard more than help. Disapproval on his economic handling hit 66-68% across surveys, even as Republicans split on it. Mega-backers mostly, positive, others not so much. Personal wallets feel the squeeze too. Six and 10 rate their finances fair or poor, and just 2 in 10 say they're better often

1:02last year. Grocery bills, gas, health care, and housing topped the gripe list as major problems, while 63% call it a bad time to job hunt. The Trump team pushes back, crediting tax cuts for extra cash in pockets, but these polls from early to mid-April paint a rough picture that could. Linger if tensions abroad keep fueling those prices. That wraps California news today, brought to you with AI. I'm Corey, with the story.