Approval Ratings Fall as Trump Takes Blame for Rising Costs

President Trump is staring down midterms with a problem that would be tough to pin on Congress or the media: Voters say they're feeling the pinch. A new CNN/SSRS survey finds 77% of Americans believe his policies have driven up the cost of living where they live, USA Today reports, and about two-thirds say those policies have made the national economy worse. His rating on the economy has slid, while his disapproval on health care has hit 65%—the highest recorded for a president in this century, edging past peaks for Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

Overall, just 35% approve of Trump's job performance in the CNN poll of 1,499 adults, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 points. Other polling averages as of Friday show the president similarly underwater, with approval stuck around 38% to 40% and disapproval in the mid-50s to high 50s. The numbers land as Trump has been emphasizing foreign policy over kitchen-table economics; asked about rising gas prices after the poll was conducted, he responded that he doesn't think about Americans' financial situation. In addition, Morning Consult's survey shows Trump's approval rating is underwater in the seven battleground states where control of the Senate could be decided, per Newsweek. "President Trump and his policy outcomes are a drag on the ticket," wrote Alex Patton of Ozean Media in an email.