A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday suggests that a strong majority of Americans believe inflation remains a problem under President Donald Trump, even as the president touts major economic gains and falling prices in recent remarks.
The survey, conducted from Feb. 18-23 among 4,638 adults, asked respondents to answer yes or no to a series of economic statements. When presented with the statement, “there is hardly any inflation in the U.S.,” 82% of all adults said no. That included 72% of Republicans and 93% of Democrats.
On the question of whether “the U.S. economy is booming,” 68% responded in the negative. Among Republicans, 43% disagreed with the statement, while 88% of Democrats said the economy is not booming.
For some voters, the numbers reflect personal financial strain.
Marcus Tripp, a 53-year-old Tennessee resident who leans Republican, told Reuters after completing the poll that the president’s focus should remain squarely on economic issues.
“The economy is what he needs to be focused on,” Tripp said. “Even as a two-income household, we are struggling… I am worried more about how much my rent and everything is going up than I am about whether the guy down the street has citizenship documents or not.”
Another respondent, Tiffany Ritchie of Corpus Christi, Texas, who voted for Trump in 2024, also expressed concerns about the domestic situation.
“I’m not impressed by what’s going on domestically,” she told Reuters. “We’re not going to tariff our way out of this.”
The poll’s findings stand in contrast to President Trump’s upbeat assessment of the economy during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, where he pointed to falling inflation and record-setting markets as evidence of a turnaround.
“The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country,” Trump said. “But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years. And in the last three months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%.”
Trump also highlighted improvements in the housing and financial markets.
“Mortgage rates are the lowest in four years and falling fast, and the annual cost of a typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 just since I took office,” he said, adding that low interest rates would address what he described as a “Biden-created housing problem” while protecting home values.
The president further emphasized Wall Street’s performance, noting that the stock market has reached 53 all-time record highs since the election.
“Boosting pensions, 401Ks, and retirement accounts for the millions and millions of Americans,” Trump said. “They’re all gaining. Everybody is up, way up!”
He contrasted the level of investment during his administration with the previous one, claiming that in four years under former President Joe Biden, less than $1 trillion in new investment entered the U.S., compared to more than $18 trillion in commitments secured during his first year back in office.
“What a difference a president makes,” Trump said. “A short time ago, we were a dead country! Now we are the hottest country anywhere in the world! The hottest!”
The poll underscores a gap between the administration’s optimistic message and the everyday experiences of many Americans who say they continue to feel financial pressure, even as economic indicators show signs of improvement.
