Americans end the year pessimistic

Having faced the longest federal government shutdown in the nation's history against a backdrop of lingering affordability concerns, a Gallup poll reveals that Americans conclude the year with a pessimistic view of the country, its leaders and the economy.

Low approval of Congress

The poll, conducted between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, shows that ratings of Congress - including both parties - are low and sharply polarized along political lines.

Approval of Congress stands at just 17%, with 37% of Republicans backing the work of the federal legislative body under their control, compared to just 12% of independents and 6% of Democrats.

The poll also reveals that, when asked separately, Americans negatively rate the work done by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress:

"Approval of Republicans in Congress stands at 29%, while Democrats in Congress receive a rating of 24%."

The survey indicates that domestic support is key for Republicans in Congress, as 69% of party supporters approve of the work of their own lawmakers and senators. In contrast, only 49% of Democrats endorse the work of their own party's members of Congress.

Worsening economic evaluations

The poll also shows that only 24% of Americans say they are happy with the state of the country, while 74% express dissatisfaction. These figures, according to the survey, reflect a more pessimistic mood than any measurement taken since January.

47% of adults in United States rate the current economic situation as "poor," up sharply from 40% in November and the highest level since September 2024. Only 21% consider the economy to be "excellent" or "good," while another 31% evaluate it as "only fair."

Meanwhile, 68% say economic conditions are getting worse, compared to 29% who say they are getting better. In contrast, Gallup revealed that in May, 58% thought the economy was getting worse and 37% thought it was getting better.

In line with this deterioration in economic perceptions, more and more Americans are identifying economic issues as the main challenge facing the nation. According to the poll, 35% currently do, up from 24% in September and October.

"Mentions of the economy in general are up to 17% from 10% in September, while mentions of inflation have increased to 11% from 6% in September."

Political, economic and judicial leaders with low approval ratings

The survey reveals that 36% of the population backs President Trump, a view shared by 89% of Republicans, 25% of independents and just 3% of Democrats.

None of the other 12 U.S. leaders - whether of Congress, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court or the Federal Reserve - reaches approval ratings above 50%. Only two of them, Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell (44%), and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio (41%), manage to break the 40% threshold.

Ratings range from 35% to 39% for eight other leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson; the secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth; Attorney General, Pam Bondi; House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries; the secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts; Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and the vice president, JD Vance.

In contrast, Senate Republican leader, John Thune (34%), and Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer (28%), rank near the bottom. According to Gallup, Schumer's rating among members of his own party has worsened markedly:

"Two years ago, 76% of Democrats approved of his job and 20% disapproved, but now 39% approve and 56% disapprove."

On the other hand, the survey reveals that the rating of Hakeem Jeffries, Schumer's counterpart in the House of Representatives, has seen a minor deterioration among Democrats, going from 80% approval and 16% disapproval in 2023 to 64% approval and 35% disapproval today.

Trump, best rated on leadership and worst on honesty

The poll reviewed for the first time how Americans perceive Trump's presidential qualities. Among the seven traits analyzed by Gallup, the one that gets the highest rating is that of a "strong and decisive leader," a characteristic that 48% of the population believe describes him.

Four out of ten Americans believe the president is capable of driving the transformations the country requires, and, according to the poll, 39% think he has the ability to manage the government effectively.

On the other hand, 37% of Americans believe Trump keeps his promises; 35% think he prioritizes the country's interests above his own, and 34% believe the president cares about the needs of people like them. In contrast, only 30% of U.S. adults perceive him as an honest and trustworthy figure.

Gallup notes, however, that opinions vary markedly by political affiliation. Between 89% and 94% of Republicans say the president is strong and decisive, able to push through needed changes and manage the government effectively.

For independents, between 29% and 42% agree with these statements, while only 7% to 15% of Democrats support them.

Gallup notes that President Trump receives a less positive rating by all political groups on character-related qualities.

Although the president continues to receive mostly positive ratings, between 77% and 85% of Republicans highlight his qualities of leadership and competence. In contrast, only between 19% and 27% of independents consider Trump to possess any of these characteristics, while among Democrats the endorsement is down to single digits.

Gallup notes that Trump's ratings on these aspects are at or very close to the lowest levels recorded in periodic surveys conducted since 2016.