Trump’s Economic Legacy and the 2026 Election.
Nearly a year has passed since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, and the economy has become one of the main factors influencing his popularity. Despite the widespread hype that the White House and the president’s close associates express about Trump’s extraordinary actions and achievements in the field of the economy, voters’ concerns about inflation, the cost of living, and purchasing power remain high.
Although similar concerns existed during the previous presidential terms of Joe Biden and Barack Obama, the current term has attracted more attention in terms of the volume and scope of major decisions in a short period of time. In this regard, although the Trump administration emphasizes that the path of economic reform has begun, the data present a complex and multi-layered picture of the state of the American economy.
“Newsweek” has stated about the importance of the economy for the American people: The state of the economy has long been one of the main criteria for measuring the success of a president. Although many factors—many of which are beyond his control—affect economic well-being, voters expect presidents to pursue fiscal policies that will strengthen the economy.
Purchasing power has become a key challenge for Trump in his second term and a focus of Democratic attacks on the administration. Critics argue that he has done little over the past year to reduce prices, a key campaign promise. However, Trump has consistently insisted that he inherited a weak economy from Joe Biden and is working to fix it.
Voters believe that the economic situation is on track to become a significant challenge for Republicans in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections. That is why Democrats are optimistic about winning the election and taking control of Congress.
The American media has briefly assessed a set of economic indicators.