President Donald Trump’s approval rating has edged upward as economic pressures show signs of easing, according to a new Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll. The survey of 1,000 registered voters — with a 3.1-point margin of error — shows Trump rising from 45 percent on Nov. 21 to 47 percent on Dec. 4. The uptick comes alongside record-breaking consumer spending over the Thanksgiving weekend, easing inflation concerns and falling gas prices, all of which Trump has framed as evidence that affordability worries are a “Democrat scam.”
Holiday spending surged dramatically, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday setting new online records. Adobe Analytics reported $44.2 billion in digital purchases across the long weekend. At the same time, gas prices dropped below $3 per gallon for the first time since 2021, according to AAA, placing them well under median levels from the previous three years. GDP growth has also strengthened, driven by higher consumer activity, though Trump’s disapproval rating remains at 53 percent.
Trump has responded aggressively to renewed Democratic messaging on affordability, arguing that Democrats ignored the issue during Biden’s term and are now exploiting it politically. His administration has rolled back Biden-era emissions rules, pressured pharmaceutical companies to lower prices, launched the TrumpRx drug-cost portal, and advanced a domestic policy package set to cut taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security income next year. He is also embarking on a multistate “affordability tour” to promote lower energy prices and highlight major investment wins.
Democrats, meanwhile, are leaning heavily into affordability ahead of the November elections, with leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries emphasizing concerns over housing, food, energy, and health-care costs. Some strategists note that although the administration is rolling out cost-cutting policies, many voters still feel squeezed, citing slow wage growth and anxiety over AI-related job losses — a disconnect fueling ongoing economic frustration.