Americans’ confidence in the economy is the worst it’s been in nearly four years, and people from both major political parties are reporting the lowest levels of confidence since President Donald Trump began his second term. Their growing pessimism is driven by dissatisfaction with current economic conditions and the economy’s direction, according to the latest Gallup poll released Friday.
The nation’s current score is -45 on Gallup’s -100 to 100 scale, based on telephone interviews with 1,001 American adults, and down from -38 in April. October 2022 was the most recent low point in economic confidence, tying the current score of -45.
A score of -100 would mean that all Americans rated the economy as poor and believed it was getting worse, and a score of 100 would mean all respondents thought current conditions were good and the economy was improving. The U.S. has remained in the negatives for nearly the past five years.
The current index score remains above the low of -58 seen in June 2022, when inflation and gas prices were on the rise, like they are today.
Only 16% of Americans consider current economic conditions “excellent” or “good,” the lowest since April 2023, according to Gallup. Nearly half say conditions are poor, up from 37% at the beginning of the year.
Ratings of current conditions in part reflect Americans’ frustration with high gas prices – averaging $4.56 per gallon at press time – brought on by the disruption of oil supplies due to the war in Iran. Pessimism is also driven by heightened inflation and costs of living, according to Gallup.
When asked to consider the economy’s outlook, 76% of Americans said economic conditions are getting worse – the biggest share in the past three years – and just 20% said conditions are improving.
Since Gallup began recording in 1992, economic confidence was at its lowest in October 2008, during the financial crisis, with an index score of -72. The highest score was 56 during January 2000’s stock market boom.
Republicans, with a score of 22, are significantly more confident in the economy than Democrats, but it’s the lowest score for the GOP since Trump took office for the second time. Democrats and independents also clocked the lowest score since Trump’s second term began, with -80 and -58 respectively.
Respondents said the government was the most important problem facing the country. Though mentions of the high cost of living and inflation have increased since late 2025 and now come in second place.
With Americans’ dismal economic outlook, “the public mood heading into summer 2026 is markedly darker than it was at the start of the year,” Megan Brenan, senior editor at Gallup, wrote in the report.