More than half of American voters view the U.S. economy as “strong” under President Donald Trump’s leadership, according to the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris poll.
The May survey shows that 51% of registered voters now describe the economy as strong, a threshold not crossed since July 2021. The same poll found that 47% of voters approve of Trump’s performance, with a nearly identical 48% disapproving.
The shift in public sentiment follows a string of positive economic indicators. Inflation ticked up by just 0.2% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while job growth exceeded expectations with 177,000 new nonfarm payroll jobs added. These developments have likely contributed to voters’ improving outlook.
Support among Republicans has surged: 72% of GOP voters now say the economy is on the right track, compared to just 15% of Democrats and 28% of independents.
“Americans are feeling the benefits of fair trade, tax cuts, and deregulation,” Trump declared in a recent statement, reiterating his pledge to launch a “manufacturing revival” to usher in what he calls “America’s new Golden Age.”
Voters’ personal financial outlook has also improved. The share of respondents who said their finances are getting worse dropped 6 points from April to 39%, while 34% say they are improving — the highest in over a year.
Though Trump’s overall approval rating has remained steady, the latest results mark a dramatic turnaround from just a month earlier, when several polls still showed a majority disapproval of his economic handling.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris poll was conducted online from May 14 to 15 among 1,903 registered voters, with a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points.